Tejashwi Yadav accuses CEC Gyanesh Kumar of electoral manipulation

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday charged Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar with deploying "fraudulent means" to help the BJP win elections across India.

The leader of the opposition in the Bihar Assembly said this has forced people to hit the streets in protest.

"There is anger among people, because of which they are protesting. However, since the BJP has come to power through fraudulent means, it doesn't care about people or their votes. It is instead standing in defence of Gyanesh Kumar, who is doing their bidding," Yadav told reporters.

The RJD leader alleged that CEC's "only job" is to make the BJP win elections using "fraudulent means" in lieu of which he has been provided "protection" under the CEC and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.

"Gyanesh Kumar works at the behest of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah. His only job is to make the BJP win elections through fraudulent means. And he has been protected so that he can do this work," Yadav said.

He cited legal immunity provided to the CEC under the Act, shortening of the required time to preserve certain electronic election records to 45 days, and the removal of the CJI from the CEC selection panel in support of his argument.

The RJD leader said his party will fight the battle against "such injustices" till the end of his life.

He also alleged inaction on the part of both central and Bihar governments in terms of tackling floods, adding that the BJP-led NDA "drained the state's resources for fighting elections and was left with very little money for disaster relief".

"In an attempt to win elections, the entire Bihar treasury has been emptied. Now, there is no money for disaster relief. Bihar is being run on loans. The situation in the state is going to worsen in six months from now. Inflation, unemployment, poverty and crimes are at their peak. Criminals have the upper hand," he said.

Yadav accused Modi of indulging in "politics of appearances and tokenism" rather than being concerned about people's problems.

"He wants lamps to be lit even during floods, and that too with public money. More than Rs 100 crore has been spent merely on lighting lamps. If this money had instead been given to farmers whose crops were destroyed, or to flood victims, how much relief it would have provided! It is just politics of appearances and tokenism," the RJD leader said.

He was apparently alluding to the 'Aashirwad Ka Diya' campaign during which earthen lamps were lit across the country on the occasion of Modi's birthday on September 17.