Patna (Bihar) [India], November 13 : As Bihar braces for the counting of votes tomorrow, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Sunil Singh on Thursday issued a strong warning to election officials, cautioning against any attempt to manipulate the people's mandate, otherwise "the same scenes witnessed on the roads in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be seen on the roads of Bihar as well".
Singh claimed that in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, "many RJD candidates were forcibly defeated," and urged vigilance to ensure such incidents do not repeat.
"Many of our candidates were forcibly defeated in 2020... I have requested all our officials involved in the counting process that, if you defeat the person whom the public has given their mandate, the same scenes you witnessed on the roads in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be seen on the roads of Bihar as well," Singh told ANI.
The RJD leader further warned that any act against the will of the people could trigger widespread public outrage. "You will see the common people taking to the streets... We are absolutely vigilant about this, and we urge you not to do anything that goes against public sentiment, that the public will not accept," Singh added.
Expressing confidence in the RJD's performance, the RJD leader predicted a clear victory for the opposition alliance led by Tejashwi Yadav. "We are getting 140-160 seats and the new government will be formed in the state under Tejashwi Yadav's leadership," Singh said.
Earlier today, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav held an online meeting with the party's candidates, party office bearers at the district level, having in-depth discussion was held on guidelines related to vote counting and preparations for the counting process.
Repeating the allegation of alleged electoral malpractice, the RJD leader said that the party, along with the people of Bihar are "alert, vigilant, cautious, and fully capable, aware, and prepared with enthusiasm, hope, and confidence to deal with any kind of improper unconstitutional activity."
"Last night, through a video conference with party candidates and district organization office-bearers, an in-depth discussion was held on guidelines related to vote counting and preparations for the counting process," Tejashwi Yadav said in a post on X in Hindi.
The counting for the 243 Bihar assembly polls will be conducted on November 14. The winner will be declared on the same evening, bringing an end to a nearly month-long election campaign. This is the first assembly election in the country in 2 decades, which was carried out after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was carried out.
Talking about being ready to deal with any "unconstitutional activity," the RJD leader said, "The justice-loving people of Bihar, the birthplace of democracy, and all social and political workers who love Bihar and the Constitution are alert, vigilant, cautious, and fully capable, aware, and prepared with enthusiasm, hope, and confidence to deal with any kind of improper unconstitutional activity."
"Bihar and Biharis are committed to saving democracy and the Constitution," his post added.
The exit polls predicted that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised to form the government again in Bihar.