Tejashwi Yadav: Ploy to delete names of genuine voters

PATNA: A report by the Election Commission of India on Wednesday revealed that 35 lakh of Bihar's 7.9 crore voters were not found at their addresses, prompting opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to allege a sinister ploy to delete names of genuine voters. BJP hit back at RJD and Congress, accusing them of relying on 'ghost' voters.

EC report stated, "Probably 12,55,620 (1.6 per cent) of them were deceased electors and 17,37,336 (2.2 per cent) have shifted permanently so far."

Tejashwi alleged, "They want to filter votes by focusing on selected booths, communities, and groups in these constituencies. But we are vigilant, and our workers will continue to expose their ill intentions by going door to door."

He said there were 15 seats where the victory margin was less than 3,000 votes in the 2015 assembly polls . In 2020, that number rose to 35. "You can imagine what difference it can make in elections if even 1 per cent of voters are deleted. Their target is to delete 4-5 per cent," Tejashwi alleged.

Tejashwi cited Nalanda's Hilsa seat, where RJD's Shakti Yadav lost to JD(U)'s Krishna Murari Sharan by only 12 votes in the last election. Similarly, BSP's Ambika Singh lost Ramgarh seat by 189 votes to RJD's Sudhakar Singh.

BJP spokesman Neeraj Kumar took a swipe at Congress and RJD over their criticism of the SIR. "Names of those who died in last 22 years are still present in voter list . Should EC not remove their names? Does Congress want infiltrators & illegal citizens to vote too?" he alleged.