Bihar MLC polls: Eight seats vote peacefully, RJD flags police 'harassment'
Voting for eight seats of the Bihar Legislative Council — four in the Graduates' constituencies and four in the Teachers' constituencies — concluded peacefully on Friday, election and police officials said, even as the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alleged that the police in Patna had misused their authority against one of its candidates.
The biennial elections recorded a turnout of 43.87% in the four Graduates' constituencies and 74.55% in the four Teachers' constituencies. Counting of votes is scheduled for October 27.
The Graduates' constituencies that went to the polls were Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi, while the Teachers' constituencies were Patna, Darbhanga, Saran and Tirhut. Polling began at 8 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m. Across 933 polling stations in the State, the total electorate was 5,32,847 voters, including 37 third-gender voters.
A senior police official at the Police Headquarters in Patna said no report of an untoward incident had been received from anywhere during the day. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Patna Graduates' constituency drew particular attention because of a divide within the ruling Janata Dal (United), a partner in the National Democratic Alliance. The party officially fielded its spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, a three-time Member of the Legislative Council seeking a fourth consecutive term, while its MLA from Mokama, Anant Singh, campaigned for Anuj Kumar Singh of the Opposition Jan Suraaj Party.
On polling day, Mr. Neeraj Kumar was seen offering prayers and meeting party supporters in the constituency. JD(U) leaders, including former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, backed his candidature, and Mr. Nitish Kumar's son and State Health Minister Nishant Kumar campaigned extensively for him. Mr. Nitish Kumar visited the party headquarters in Patna around 10 a.m. to inquire about the Council elections and later returned to his official residence at 7, Circular Road.
Firecrackers were burst outside Mr. Anant Singh's residence by supporters celebrating what they described as an expected victory for the Jan Suraaj Party candidate. The results have not yet been declared.
Asked what he would do if the party expelled him for anti-party activity after the results, Mr. Anant Singh said, "Let them expel me, I am ready." He is considered close to the party's Munger MP and Union Panchayati Raj Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as Lalan Singh. Both leaders belong to the Bhumihar community and have supported each other in elections.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, along with the party's candidate from the Patna Teachers' constituency, Sanjeev Kumar Singh, alleged that the police were harassing the candidate in an attempt to influence the poll. Dr. Singh, a doctor by profession and a former MLA, had earlier accused the Patna Police of raiding his residence in the Kankarbagh area of Patna on the night of October 22 without a warrant. No police response to the allegation was available in the report.
Legislative Council elections from Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies are held every two years, with only registered graduates and teachers in the relevant constituency eligible to vote. The Council is the upper house of the State Legislature and cannot be dissolved; members retire in phases.
