Bihar Polls: INDIA Bloc Concedes Defeat, Accuses Election Commission of Large-Scale Vote Manipulation

Image Source: Internet

The INDIA bloc, led by Rahul Gandhi, has accepted the outcome of the Bihar assembly elections, albeit with reservations. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a landslide victory, bagging 202 of the 243 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan, an alliance of opposition parties, managed to win just 35 seats. Rahul Gandhi expressed gratitude to the voters who supported the Mahagathbandhan and described the result as 'truly surprising.' He claimed that the election was unfair from the beginning and reiterated that the Congress Party and the INDIA bloc will 'deeply review' the result to 'save democracy.' RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged that the elections were rigged, citing vote share data. He pointed out that RJD received the highest number of votes across all of Bihar, but the party was awarded only 25 seats. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Rahul Gandhi's sentiments, saying that the alliance will continue its fight against those who misuse constitutional institutions. In a surprising turn of events, Supriya Sule, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, congratulated the NDA on its victory, saying 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar.' Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and DMK supremo MK Stalin appreciated Tejashwi Yadav's 'tireless campaign' and wished him well. However, the result has also drawn criticism from within the INDIA bloc. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi suggested that the bloc should focus more on women, citing a news article that highlighted the high turnout of women voters in Bihar. The article reported that women voters outnumbered men by 8.8 percentage points. The outcome of the Bihar elections has raised questions about the conduct of the Election Commission of India. The INDIA bloc has accused the ECI of large-scale vote manipulation, a charge that the ECI has denied. The reputation of the ECI is at its 'lowest point,' according to MK Stalin. As the opposition parties reflect on their defeat, they are left to ponder where things went wrong. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor suggested that some 'serious introspection' is needed, but he was quick to add that he was not invited to campaign for the Bihar elections and therefore cannot provide any 'first-hand information' on the matter.