‘Will discuss boycotting Bihar elections with allies’: Tejashwi Yadav amid intensive voter list revision

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday hinted at the Mahagathbandhan alliance boycotting the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. Yadav claimed that the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) exercise by the Election Commission is allegedly being used to manipulate the voter lists in favour of the NDA dispensation. 

Yadav said that the BJP should be given an extension, while claiming elections have been “compromised”.

He even questioned the point of holding the elections when the entire SIR process is “dishonest”. “Boycott is an option, but we will think about it. We will consult our alliance partners and the public before taking a final call,” Yadav told news agency IANS. 

Yadav, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly, called out the EC for not addressing the Opposition’s concerns. He claimed that while genuine voters were being axed from the electoral rolls, the poll body is busy showing inflated revision figures before the Supreme Court. 

Calling the exercise a “fraudulent drive,” he said: “Earlier voters chose the government, now the government is choosing voters.” 

Earlier in the day, Yadav said at a press conference that even if one per cent of the names have been deleted, the names of around 7-8 lakh people would be out of the voter lists. 

Taking aim at the BJP, the RJD leader claimed there is no mention of voters from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal in Bihar in the affidavit given in the top court. The remarks came after a heated altercation between Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav in the assembly. 

Countering Tejashwi’s claims, Nitish said his father was in power for 7 years and even his mother was the CM but things did not change for Bihar. Tejashwi said the RJD wasn’t performing well and hence Nitish left the Mahagathbandhan. 

Nitish Kumar said that he left the RJD-led alliance as it wasn’t performing well and that now, even the Centre is supporting Bihar, and they have done various development works in the state together. 

“Your father was CM for seven years and then your mother was there… you were the deputy CM… what was the situation at that time? I was with you… but you were not performing well so I left….” CM Nitish Kumar said.

Bihar is all set to go to polls in November this year.