RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has officially been elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, after the party secured 25 seats—the minimum required to claim the position, which is 10% of the House strength (243 seats).
Tejashwi, who initially trailed by a large margin in early counting rounds, made a strong comeback to defeat BJP candidate Satish Kumar by 14,532 votes, retaining his family stronghold of Raghopur. His late surge in votes drew significant attention and triggered political commentary across party lines.
Allegations of Manipulation
Senior Congress leader Udit Raj has levelled serious allegations against the Election Commission of India and the BJP, claiming that the final hours of counting were manipulated to ensure Tejashwi’s victory. He alleged that the RJD leader was trailing throughout the day, but the results flipped late in the evening.
“Tejashwi Yadav did not win the elections. They ensured his victory to justify the elections as fair,” Udit Raj told ANI. He further alleged misuse of EVMs and claimed democracy was being undermined.
Mahagathbandhan Faces Major Setback
The broader Mahagathbandhan alliance suffered a sharp decline in the election:
- RJD dropped from 75 seats in the previous Assembly to 25
- Congress won only 6 out of 61 seats it contested, compared to 19 earlier
The results mark one of the alliance’s steepest declines in recent years, reshaping the political landscape in Bihar.
Tejashwi’s elevation as Leader of Opposition comes at a crucial time for the RJD, as the party seeks to rebuild its position in the Assembly after a disappointing performance.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
