Patna: As the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections draws near, opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav has made a strong political statement. Speaking to reporters in Patna on Monday, Yadav said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is using every possible means to win the elections, including the help of the Election Commission and central police forces. He, however, expressed confidence that the Grand Alliance would form the next government and said, “We will take oath on November 18.” His statement has sparked discussions across the political circles of Bihar.
Tejashwi Yadav, who leads the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accused the NDA of breaking all limits of decorum during the campaign. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the stage with people who have criminal records and even praised Vipin Sharma, an accused in the Bhagalpur Srijan scam. According to Yadav, the Prime Minister did not present any plan for Bihar’s development in his speeches. “He only said things that brought a bad name to Bihar,” Yadav said, adding that the Prime Minister’s speeches seemed influenced by a web series rather than focused on real issues like jobs, health, and education.
Yadav also made serious allegations about the deployment of security forces. He claimed that the central police units brought from BJP-ruled states were being used to influence the elections. “Sixty-eight percent of police observers have been called from BJP-ruled states,” he said. “Even the Union Home Minister Amit Shah is putting pressure on officials to ensure votes in favour of the NDA.” He alleged that central forces from Nagaland were sent to Bihar, while those stationed in neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal were kept away, which he called a deliberate move to manipulate the election process.
The RJD leader also claimed that the NDA had distributed Rs 30,000 crore to buy votes, particularly targeting women voters by giving Rs 10,000 each. Tejashwi Yadav said that his party would respond to this with welfare policies that genuinely help people. “After our government is formed, we will deposit Rs 30,000 each into women’s bank accounts by January 14,” he promised. Yadav added that his government would adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards crime, corruption, and communalism. “Every criminal, regardless of caste or religion, will be in jail before January 26,” he said firmly.
Several senior leaders of the RJD were present at the press conference, including Abdul Bari Siddiqui, MP Dr Misa Bharti, Professor Manoj Kumar Jha, Sanjay Yadav, former minister Alok Kumar Mehta, treasurer Dr Sunil Kumar Singh, chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav, and state spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed. They supported Tejashwi’s remarks and expressed confidence that Bihar’s people would vote for change in this election. Tejashwi’s announcement of a possible oath-taking date on November 18 has created a buzz across the state, with supporters of the Grand Alliance hopeful for a major political shift in Bihar.
