Union Minister Manjhi rejects viral clip alleging poll manipulation, opposition seeks probe
New Delhi : A video circulating on social media that allegedly shows Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi claiming to have influenced the outcome of a past Assembly election has sparked a political controversy in Bihar, prompting sharp reactions from the Opposition and denials from the ruling alliance.
The clip, said to be from a party function held on December 14 to felicitate HAM (S) workers after the 2025 Assembly elections, purportedly features Manjhi stating that his intervention helped his party’s Tekari candidate Anil Kumar secure victory in the 2020 polls despite trailing by over 2,600 votes. In the same video, he is allegedly heard saying that the candidate lost the 2025 election because he did not seek similar help this time. Manjhi is also alleged to have named an IAS officer who is currently posted in Tripura, as having assisted in the 2020 victory, decided by a margin of 2,630 votes. In 2025, the same candidate lost by 2,058 votes.
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Calling the video “tampered” and accusing his political rivals of attempting to malign his reputation, Manjhi has rejected the allegations. He said the clip was being circulated to damage what he described as “Brand Manjhi” and insisted that he had never spoken about manipulating election outcomes, as reported by The Indian Express. Asserting his social and political standing, Manjhi said attempts to defame him would fail and warned that those spreading such content would face consequences.
The Opposition has renewed the allegations of electoral malpractice. Bihar Congress spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari said the clip amounted to an open admission of manipulation of election results and misuse of the bureaucracy and added that the party was considering approaching the Election Commission of India over the issue. Calling the purported statement of a Union Cabinet minister “extremely serious” and seeking a probe into the role of the IAS officer named in the video, Rashtriya Janata Dal national spokesperson Subodh Kumar Mehta also demanded a high-level inquiry,
Claiming that Manjhi was only referring to the slow pace of vote counting in 2020, the Bihar Industry Minister and former BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal said he had seen the full, unedited version of the video and mentioned that this reference was about his candidate who was trailing until the final rounds before eventually winning.
Janata Dal (United) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said the matter should be addressed by the HAM (S) leadership, cautioning the Opposition against making broad allegations without formal complaints and noted that merely raising questions would not suffice.
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MEA reports more than 200 Indians enlisted in Russian military since 2022; 26 deaths confirmed
More than 200 Indian nationals have joined the Russian armed forces since 2022, with 26 are confirmed dead, MEA—The Ministry of External Affairs have informed the Upper house of the Parliament: Rajya Sabha.
In a written response, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, has stated that at least 202 Indians are reported to have joined the Russian army. Among these recruited personnels, 26 have lost their lives; while, seven individuals have been reported missing by Russian authorities. He added that the remains of two deceased Indian nationals were cremated in Russia.
Singh noted that the sustained diplomatic efforts by the Indian government have led to the early discharge of 119 individuals. He further added that the discussions are going smoothly with the Russians to secure the release of the remaining personnel, with efforts underway to facilitate the early discharge of 50 more Indian nationals.
According to the minister, the Union government is in contact with Russian authorities to ensure the safety, welfare, and prompt return of Indian citizens serving in the Russian army. The issue, he said, is being addressed at multiple levels, including interactions between senior leaders, ministers, and officials of both countries.
The said disclosure was made in response to queries raised by Saket Gokhale, the MP of Trinamool Congress, and Randeep Singh Surjewala, the MP of INC, regarding the number of Indians allegedly recruited into the military service in Russia; Along with the details of deaths and missing persons reported since 2022.
