Patna (Bihar) [India], July 30 : Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav on Thursday claimed that voters in the Bankipur Assembly constituency were overwhelmingly backing the BJP-led NDA candidate, saying "everyone is voting for the lotus", and questioned Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishore's standing in the constituency.
After casting his vote in the Bankipur Assembly by-election, Yadav said, "I have cast my vote. I have pressed the button for our candidate, the NDA nominee and Bharatiya Janata Party's Neeraj Kumar Sinha ji, whose symbol is the lotus. And wherever I hear, everyone is pressing the button for the lotus. Elderly men and women, rich and poor, intellectuals--everyone is voting for the lotus."
"Because the Lotus is a symbol of Goddess Lakshmi, and everyone wants to keep Lakshmi in their house. So, everyone is with the Lotus. They were with the Lotus before, and the Lotus is still here today," he said.
Asked whether he saw the RJD in the electoral contest, Yadav said, "Yes, the RJD is trying to fight. People are voting"
On who he saw in second position, Yadav said, "It's the RJD."
Taking a dig at Prashant Kishore, who is contesting the bypoll as the Jan Suraaj candidate, Yadav questioned his connection with Bankipur.
"Who is Prashant Kishore? Who is Prashant Kishore? Is he from Bankipur? Where is his house in Bankipur? In which locality? Where is his house? Does he know the names of five streets? Has he ever visited? Will he ever visit?" he said.
Yadav said voters wanted a candidate with a local connection and compared the BJP's Neeraj Kumar Sinha with former Bankipur MLA Nitin Nabin.
"People prefer a son of their own soil; Nitin Nabin is a son of this very place. People are overwhelmingly pressing the button for the Lotus symbol and giving a son from a humble background, like Neeraj Kumar, the opportunity to serve," he said.
"So, will people choose a son who is a servant, or a big master? And who chooses billionaires? Those days are gone. You don't get notes in exchange for votes anymore. You get votes in exchange for work. You get votes for being a companion in joy and sorrow," Yadav added.
On allegations that several Jan Suraaj workers had been detained ahead of polling, Yadav said that anyone violating the law would be taken into custody.
"If you violate the law, will you be taken into custody or not? The law is for everyone, isn't it, brother? The law is for everyone. Whoever breaks the law, whoever resorts to hooliganism, disrupts law and order, violates decorum, will go to jail," he said.
His remarks came after Prashant Kishore alleged that police had detained more than 16 Jan Suraaj leaders and workers ahead of polling and accused the BJP and the state government of using the police to "harass" his party workers.
Kishore alleged that the workers were detained at different police stations and shifted between locations without information being provided about their whereabouts.
"Our point is simple: if they have committed any wrongdoing or illegal act, then file a case against them. But if they haven't, the police are acting like a political entity--specifically to aid the ruling BJP and the government--by detaining Jan Suraaj workers solely to prevent them from being active during the election," Kishore had alleged.
He also accused the BJP of distributing money among voters and claimed that the party had resorted to using the police after other attempts to influence the election failed.
Kishore had expressed confidence in his victory, saying, "200% we are going to win."
Voting for the Bankipur Assembly by-election began on Thursday amid tight security. The counting of votes will take place on August 3.
The Bankipur seat fell vacant after BJP leader Nitin Nabin resigned as MLA following his election to the Rajya Sabha.