Patna: Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP) founder and former Bihar minister Mukesh Sahani has accused the authorities of undermining the democratic process, claiming that voters’ names are being deliberately removed from electoral rolls.
Speaking to reporters in Patna after attending the India Alliance meeting in Delhi, Sahani alleged that “the public’s vote is being stolen” and urged political forces to unite against it. “The poor and the backward have only one strength, and that is their vote. They are proud of it, and we will protect it,” he said.
Sahani said the meeting discussed a state-wide campaign to be launched under Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s leadership on August 17, culminating in Patna on September 1. “We have decided to safeguard people’s votes. The Election Commission is not doing what it should. Their game will not work in Bihar,” he added.
The VIP chief said Rahul Gandhi had highlighted similar electoral irregularities in Karnataka and other states, and pledged that every booth in Bihar would be closely monitored. On reports of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav boycotting elections, Sahni said the matter had not been discussed in detail. “We believe in democracy and we will fight strongly,” he said.
