Patna (Bihar) [India], October 4 (ANI): Reacting to Janata Dal (United)'s request to the Election Commission to hold single-phase assembly elections in Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said every party has its own thinking and demands; however, the NDA will accept the decision of the poll panel.
Speaking to ANI, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "Every party has its own thinking and demands. The Election Commission is an independent body. Whatever decision it takes, everyone will have to accept it..."
This comes after JD(U) Bihar president Umesh Singh Kushwaha said that their party has urged the ECI to conduct elections in a single phase and just right after Chhath Puja so that people living outside the state can also cast their vote.
Sinha also targeted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, referring to them as "Appu and Pappu" and accusing them of failing to fulfil their responsibilities.
He said, "'Appu' and 'Pappu' (Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi) are two leaders. They keep making one the Chief Minister and the other the Prime Minister. They are sitting on constitutional posts but do not discharge their responsibilities...The public has decided that the leader will be the one who has developed the state with a sense of service, who has removed the word 'Bihari' from being an insult and made it a matter of pride."
Earlier today, the Election Commission of India held a meeting with political parties of Bihar ahead of the assembly elections in the state.
Under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, discussions were successfully held with all the recognised political parties of Bihar, along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar Vinod Singh Gunjyal and senior officers of the Commission.
During the interaction, the Election Commission stated that political parties are the cornerstone of democracy and that all parties should ensure their participation at every stage of a transparent electoral process.
The EC urged voters to celebrate the festival of elections with harmony and respect, and to experience the transparency of the elections. It also urged political parties to ensure that they nominate polling agents at every polling booth.
Political parties thanked the EC for taking "historic, transparent, and firm" measures to purify the electoral rolls through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and reiterated their complete commitment and faith in the electoral process.
They also thanked the EC for setting a maximum number of voters per polling station at 1,200.
Moreover, representatives from various political parties demanded that elections be conducted immediately after the Chhath festival to ensure maximum voter participation and suggested holding the elections in as minimum phases as possible.
The parties also appreciated several recent initiatives by the Election Commission, including reforms related to the counting of postal ballots and the use of Form 17C.
All political parties reiterated their complete trust in the Election Commission and expressed confidence that the upcoming Bihar elections would be conducted in a free, fair, and fully transparent manner. (ANI)
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