Senior Janata Dal United leader Lalan Singh has kicked up a row after allegedly trying to intimidate voters, specifically from the poorer communities, before Thursday, the first phase of the Bihar election.
A furious opposition accused him of “driving a bulldozer over the Election Commission”, prompting the poll panel to issue a notice to the JDU leader, giving him 24 hours to reply.
On Tuesday morning the Rashtriya Janata Dal shared what it said was an excerpt from Singh’s speech in the Mokama constituency.
“Union Minister Lalan Singh is driving a bulldozer over the Election Commission’s chest… saying the poor should not be allowed to leave their homes on voting day. That they should be locked inside their homes… Where is the ‘dead’ Commission?” the party’s national spokesperson, Priyank Bharti said
“We have complained to the Election Commission… ” the RJD said, also taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has slammed the opposition over the ‘jungle raj’. “Ask the Prime Minister what sort of ‘jungle raj’ this is…. This man is your cabinet colleague and you are silent.”
Both Lalan Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, from the JDU’s ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigned in Mokama on Monday.
The JDU has fielded Anant Singh, a local thug, who has been arrested in connection with the murder of another gangster-politician, Dular Singh Yadav, who was campaigning for the Jan Suraaj candidate.
During his campaign speech Lalan Singh reportedly said, “There are some people… they should not be allowed to leave their homes on the day of the election. If they plead too much… then take them with you and, after voting, bring them back home and make them sleep.”
“They have to be packed away at home. Take charge now. There is no time left for election.”
He also backed Anant Singh.
“We will not let the people of Mokama feel the absence of Anant Singh” and claiming a “conspiracy” against the JDU candidate. “On November 6, every vote should go to Anant Singh… so Mokama’s people can prove no conspiracy will succeed here.”
Mokama is part of the Munger Lok Sabha electorate that Lalan Singh represents.
Lalan Singh has offered JDU candidate Anant Singh – who has 28 criminal cases against him – emphatic support, telling “The incident appears to have been orchestrated as part of a conspiracy. The investigation is underway…”
And when asked if campaigning for a tainted candidate did not amount to double standards, he replied. “This could be your perception. How can you decide who is tainted? A candidate can be arrested. I can be arrested too. Will that make me a criminal? Police will investigate. Many people are proven innocent later.”
Anant Singh is up against RJD’s Veena Devi, the wife of rival ‘bahubali’ Suraj Bhan.
Asked if Anant Singh’s arrest would benefit Suraj Bhan, Lalan Singh said, “You travel through Mokama and see for yourself. Take it from me in writing, Anant Singh will win this election with a bigger margin than all his earlier wins.”
