Kusheshwar Asthan bypolls: RJD writes to EC demanding removal of SDO
The RJD early Tuesday sent a letter to the Election Commission (EC) seeking immediate removal of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Sanjeev Kumar Kapar who is deployed as returning officer in Kusheshwar Asthan Assembly constituency, where counting is underway. The RJD alleged that Kapar had threatened counting officials during the 2020 Assembly election to favour candidates of the ruling JD(U).
Manoj Jha, in a letter to the poll body, said that Kapar is a "tainted officer" who is "biased". An audio clip of Kapar wherein he was threatening polling agents and supporters of RJD has also went viral on social media, he said.
Manoj Jha sent the letter to the poll body at 12.37 am.
Amid apprehension of cheating during counting, the party has sent top leaders in a rank of Tejashwi Yadav, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Jagadanand Singh and Shyam Rajak to monitor the developments at the counting centres in a bid to prevent "mischief" by the ruling JD(U).
Tejashwi Yadav and Abdul Bari Siddiqqi are camping in Kusheshwar Asthan in Darbhanga while Jagadanand Singh and Shyam Rajak are camping in Tarapur in Munger district.
The RJD has already warned of massive agitation if Nitish Kumar and his party members will pressure District Magistrate and other officials at the time of counting to favour the JD(U) candidate.
The RJD alleged that in the 2020 Assembly elections, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and BJP leaders threatened district officials to defeat the former's candidates in 15 seats.
RJD leaders had given special training to counting agents and candidates to keep a close tab on officials during the counting of votes. In case of any rigging, they are asked to inform senior leaders of the party immediately.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad has already claimed that party's both the candidates are going to win the election with a big margin from Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur. He also claimed that the formula is ready to defeat the Nitish Kumar government.
The bypolls at these two places were held on October 30 where Kusheshwar Asthan registered 49 percent and Tarapur was 50.05 percent turnout.
