Bihar MLC polls RJD BJP make contrasting claims of victory in Darbhanga Graduates seat

Patna, Oct 29 (PTI) The RJD on Thursday claimed to have wrested the Darbhanga Graduates constituency in the Bihar Legislative Council polls, a day after the ruling BJP asserted that sitting MLC Sarvesh Kumar retained the seat.

    Results for the Darbhanga Graduates seat, however, are yet to be officially declared. Counting for the eight seats, which went to polls on October 23, had commenced on Tuesday morning.

    RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad, in a statement issued on Thursday, described its candidate Anil Kumar Jha's victory in the Darbhanga Graduates constituency as a triumph of party leader Tejashwi Yadav's active leadership.

    “RJD workers had thwarted attempts by NDA leaders to influence the election process, demonstrating the party's commitment to democracy and democratic rights under Tejashwi Yadav's leadership,” Ahmad asserted.

    “Now, our party has won two seats in the council polls (Patna Teachers constituency and Darbhanga Graduates constituency),” he claimed.

    Of the eight seats, two went to the BJP and two were bagged by independents, while the RJD, the main party in opposition, Jan Suraaj Party and NDA partner JD(U) got one each, according to the Election Commission.

    In a post on X earlier in the day, Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the Leader of Opposition, alleged foul play by the EC.

    “The counting of votes for the Darbhanga Graduates constituency has been underway since October 27. Despite declaring 10 per cent of the votes invalid, the RJD is winning from the Darbhanga Graduates seat, but the EC is forcibly trying to engineer a BJP victory in the counting process,” he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)