Patna Graduates Seat: RJD Leader Blames Congress, Raises EVM Doubts

RJD leader Magani Lal Mandal has raised concerns over the Patna Graduates constituency result, alleging that about 6,000 votes were rejected to favour JD(U) nominee Neeraj Kumar. He also blamed Congress for the opposition's poor showing in the Bihar Legislative Council polls.

Mandal said the contest had turned into a friendly fight among alliance partners, weakening the INDIA bloc's chances. He argued that failure to coordinate in time and to finalise joint candidates had hurt the opposition's prospects.

He described the defeat of Congress leader Madan Mohan Jha as a big blow and said the alliance had not announced a common candidate in advance, reflecting a lack of clarity in its electoral planning.

Turning to Karnataka, Mandal said the Congress seemed focused mainly on the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists, while issues such as unemployment and inflation also needed attention. He said political movements can have a main goal but should also address wider public concerns.

On the debate over EVMs and ballot papers, Mandal said neither system should be seen as foolproof. He acknowledged that EVMs can develop technical faults but said such problems should be fixed rather than returning fully to paper ballots. He warned that ballot-based voting could also suppress votes of minority communities.

Mandal further accused some opponents of protests of acting on the instructions of the BJP, and said arguments against demonstrations were being used to curb dissent. Recalling Indira Gandhi's remarks on 'limited democracy' and 'limited judiciary', he said those who hold power alone can guarantee democracy.