Bihar Deputy CM alleges his convoy attacked on poll day, to moves EC

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Thursday claimed that his convoy was attacked in Lakhisarai, allegedly by workers of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), while polling was underway for the first phase of the Assembly elections. He alleged that the incident was aimed at intimidating voters in the area.

The senior BJP leader, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term in the ongoing assembly polls, expressed dissatisfaction with the response of the local administration and said he would take up the matter with the Election Commission (EC).

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar took note of the allegations and instructed the state Director General of Police to take immediate action. 

“No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Strict action will be taken against the miscreants,” an official said, quoting Kumar.

Lakhisarai SP Ajay Kumar said polling was continuing in the area where Sinha alleged that his convoy was attacked by RJD supporters.

“I have received reports of some protests over broken roads, but I will be able to confirm what actually happened only after visiting the site,” the SP said.

Sinha reportedly alleged that RJD workers had been threatening voters from extremely backward caste groups since morning. 

Talking to reporters, the Deputy CM said, “Since morning, RJD supporters have been intimidating voters belonging to extremely backward classes. The local SP is a coward. He says there is peace all around, when the fact is that people are not being allowed to vote.”

He further added “You can see one of the cars in my cavalcade, which has been damaged by the opposition party goons who hurled stones, slippers and cow dung when our men tried to stop them. One of my workers, Vibhishan Kevat, was beaten up badly. He has been admitted to a hospital, and there has not been a single arrest,” Sinha said.

Accusing the RJD of resorting to violence, the deputy chief minister said, “The RJD has shown what it stands for. When this is their behaviour while out of power, if they win the polls even by fluke, what will ensue will be nothing short of the law of the jungle.”