BJP, EC colluded in Bihar; removed names of voters under pretext of SIR: UP Cong chief Ajay Rai
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Lucknow (PTI): Calling the Bihar Assembly election results "surprising", Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai on Friday alleged that the "collusion" between the BJP and the Election Commission deprived lakhs of their right to vote, and that malpractice in the name of SIR must be exposed.
Rai made the statement as he addressed a seminar marking the birth anniversary of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the state Congress headquarters.
He claimed that the "collusion" between the BJP and the EC led to the removal of the names of lakhs of voters from the electoral rolls under the pretext of SIR, depriving them of their right to vote. He described it as a "direct attack" on democracy.
He cautioned that Assembly elections are due in Uttar Pradesh and claimed that similar issues could arise.
"We must remain vigilant and expose malpractice in the name of SIR. It is our responsibility to ensure voters' names remain on the rolls, and if needed, we will take to the streets. I will stand with you in this struggle," he told party workers.
Earlier, Rai, former ministers Raj Bahadur and Naseemuddin Siddiqui, and Indian Overseas Congress UP chairman Capt Banshidhar Mishra paid floral tributes to Nehru.
Rai said the country needs the vision and ideals of Nehru "now more than ever before."
According to a party statement, speakers at the event discussed Nehru's life and contributions. Rai said Nehru laid the foundations of modern India by promoting scientific thinking, democratic values, socialism, education and technological advancement.
"India's diversity, harmony and progress are possible only when we uphold equality, the Constitution and democratic principles," he said.
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Will continue to keep tab on development work in Bihar: Nitish to JD(U) MLAs
Patna (PTI): JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Monday told party legislators that he will continue to keep a tab on the development work in Bihar despite having given up the chief minister's post a week ago.
Kumar addressed a meeting of the legislative party at 1, Anney Marg, which is the official residence of the chief minister and which the JD(U) supremo, now a Rajya Sabha MP, had occupied for nearly two decades.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, "Our party leader has said that except for sessions of Parliament, which would require his presence in Delhi, he will spend his maximum time in Bihar."
"Nitish Kumar told us that he will ensure that the good work done while he was in power continues under the new government, in which the JD(U) is an important partner. To keep a tab, he will tour the state in due course," Neeraj Kumar said.
The JD(U) spokesperson was asked about speculations that the meeting had been convened to decide on the role to be assigned to Nishant, the party supremo's son, who joined the JD(U) last month, but has declined to accept a ministerial berth in the Samrat Choudhary government.
"There is no confusion about the role of Nishant, who has been accepted by the party as the leader of the future. In any case, there was no discussion on him today," Neeraj Kumar said.
Nitish Kumar has been authorised by the legislators to decide on choosing the legislative party leader, he added.
Among those present at the meeting were Union minister and former JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav.
Interestingly, don turned politician Anant Kumar Singh, who represents Mokama assembly seat, claimed after the meeting that MLAs were asked by the supreme leader to try and win "200 seats in the next elections".
"Nitish Kumar ji told us that he will now be more easily available for party workers and general public. He also said that he will extensively tour the state and asked us to work hard so that the party wins 200 seats in the next elections", said Singh, who is often in news for putting his foot in the mouth.
The Bihar assembly is 243-strong and the JD(U)'s current tally is 85, four less than ally BJP, which is the single largest party.
The JD(U)'s best-ever performance was in 2010, when it had contested 142 seats and won 115 of these. It was also the highest tally for any single party since Bihar's truncation in 2000, until when Jharkhand was part of the state and assembly had 324 seats.
