News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar Panchayat Elections

  • NDA attacks Tejashwi Yadav over alleged video of him handing cash to women 

    Express News Service

    PATNA:  A video purportedly showing RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav distributing money to womenand dropping name of his father Lalu Prasad Yadav while campaigning for panchayat election in Gopalganj has given the Bihar BJP and JD(U) ammo to target the Opposition party. The video could not be independently verified. 

    While the Bihar ruling alliance had a field day on Friday, mocking the Yadav scion and urging the election commission to crack whip on him, none from RJD spoke on the issue. The viral video showed Tejashwi, seated in the front seat of his car, handing out `500 notes to a few women, while introducing himself as the son of Lalu. “Do you know me? I am the son of Laluji,” he purportedly told the women.

    The video was posted on Twitter by JD(U) MLC  Neeraj Kumar, who accused the Yadav scion of duping innocent women. Tejashwi was in Gopalganj to address a public rally. Lashing out at Tejashwi, Neeraj Kumar said a man who could not carve out an identity for himself in politics was distributing money to stay relevant. 

    Tejashwi Yadav “He survives on the legacy of his father, who was convicted in the fodder scam cases. He is a leader on compassionate ground in politics,” Neeraj posted on his official tweet handle. Through his sarcasm-laden posts, Neeraj Kumar suggested Tejashwi distribute land fraudulently amassed by his father as well. “Tejashwi Yadav has gone a step ahead of his father in cheating the gullible by giving cash instead of uplifting their lot,” Neeraj mocked.

    BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand said Tejashwi was carrying forward the political legacy of RJD. “Despite the model code of conduct being in force, he is distributing cash. Ethics is wholly missing from his politics,” he alleged, adding RJD was distributing money to gain traction during the election.

  • Bihar: At 90, she gears up for her second panchayat polls

    Express News Service

    PATNA:  Age won’t hold back Urmila Devi from contesting in the upcoming panchayat elections. She is 90-years-old, but has a youth-like enthusiasm when it comes to serving the society. Despite her advanced age, most of the time, she is outside of her house with her son Dayanand Singh meeting people and listening to their problems. 

    She is called dadi -mukhiyaby the people of her panchayat as she cares for them like a grandmother would. Urmila is the head of Hathini panchayat in Bihar’s Rohtas district, which is going to polls on September 24 for six posts, including that of panchayat (mukhiya).

    She was elected as woman mukhiya at the age of 85, about five years ago, because of her fondness and cordial relation with the people of the panchayat, irrespective of their castes and creeds. “I am crossing 90 years of age, but still want to take care of the people of my panchayat as a grandmother.

    Wherever any problem occurs, I used to reach as and sort it out like a grandmother would,” she said. Urmila has only passed Class 7. However, she knows about all schemes of the government meant for people’s welfare. “You can move across the panchayat wearing shoes even during rainy days and your shoes won’t catch any mud,” Dayanand Singh, the son of Urmila Devi claimed.

     Prema Devi, a woman voter said: “Our Dadi Mukhiya is an example of woman’s grit and empowerment.” She travels several kilometres everyday and was actively involved in Covid relief efforts. 

  • Bihar BJP sees opportunity in upcoming panchayat elections to penetrate deep into the state

    Express News Service

    PATNA :  The BJP is eying the upcoming panchayat elections in Bihar as a means to penetrating deep into the state by committing support to like-minded candidates.

    This would mark the first time the national party would be mobilising its cadre to canvass and vote for candidates, who would not be contesting on party lines.

    The dates for the three-tier panchayat elections were announced on Tuesday. Political observers said the BJP seems to be banking on the prospects of the winners backed by it creating a deep pool of dedicated party cadre.

    Announcing the decision on Monday, Bihar BJP chief Dr Sanjay Jaiswal had said the party decided to throw their weight behind like-minded candidates to strengthen the grassroots of democracy to make the state one of the most prosperous in the country.

    The BJP is the second largest party in Bihar after the RJD, with cadre spread deep into the interiors of the state. 

    The State Election Commission on Tuesday released the dates for the panchayat elections under 11 phases starting September 24 and ending December 12.

    The poll panel has banned the use of party flags and posters of all political parties.

    This would also mark the first time when the elections would be conducted through EVMs on the lines of Assembly elections.

    Representatives for four Panchayat Raj institutions would be elected through this mode.  

    Ballot papers would be used for the elections of ward councillors, the panch and the Sarpanch of Gram-Kachahari.

    State Election Commissioner Dipak Kumar said voting would be held for 8,072 panchayat heads and members of 1,160 district council posts, besides other posts. 

    The BJP’s decision to support candidates comes amid straining relations with JD(U), which has broken ranks on Pegasus snoopgate and caste-based census.

  • Declare non-vaccinated people ineligible for contesting Panchayat polls: Bihar minister tells SEC

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The non-vaccinated people maybe not allowed to contest the elections for various posts of Panchayat Raj institutions in Bihar. A demand asking non-vaccinated people be declared ineligible for the Panchayat elections was made with the state election commission by none other the minister of Panchayat Raj Samarat Chaudhary on Saturday.

    Samrat Chaudhary, the minister of the Panchayat Raj Department, on Saturday, requested the state election commission to make the vaccination against coronavirus mandatory. “I will request the state election commission to make the vaccination mandatory to whosoever wants to contest for the various posts of Panchayat raj institutions in the state”, he told the media. He also urged the State Election Commission (SEC) not to consider those eligible for fighting elections who have not taken jabs so far.

    “A guideline should be issued by the SEC on this before the next Panchayat elections,”, the minister said.

    In Bihar as per an officials figure, there are 8,406 panchayats comprising 45,103 villages across 534 blocks in 38 districts. The tenure of all elected members of various Panchayat institutions have expired and the development works in the Panchayats are being monitored by the members of the Panchayat Consultative Committees.

  • Three-month jail or fine: Yell at your own peril during Bihar rural poll

    Express News Service
    PATNA:  People caught shouting in and around polling booths during the panchayat election in Bihar can be arrested and sentenced to three-month jail or fined.

    Sources in the state election commission said that if the presiding officer finds someone involved in such act, she/he can direct the police to arrest the accused.

    The elections are due to be held April-May. Overall, 4,705 polling booths will be set up for the purpose. 

    The sources said the state election commission has banned shouting on polling day in and around the polling booths in order to keep law and order maintained during the Panchayat elections.

    “The ban on shouting will be imposed for the day of polling because noise may interfere with the work of the employees engaged in the election work,” they said.

    The use of the public addressing system will also remain banned on polling day.

    Meanwhile, the Nitish Kumar government announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh in the event of the death, including those succumbing to Covid, and Rs 15 lakhs will be given on injury sustained by the poll personnel.