"Tejashwi, Rahul have a problem with constitutional bodies": BJP's Pradeep Bhandari on RJD leader remarks

India Gazette

5 days ago

New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): In a response to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's recent comments, BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Monday accused the opposition of undermining democratic institutions. Labelling them the 'Gaali alliance,' Bhandari criticized Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for targeting the media, Election Commission, and Supreme Court, alleging they oppose fair constitutional mandates.
Bhandari further said the people of Bihar will make sure the opposition stays out of power because of their abusive language.
Speaking to ANI, the BJP Spokesperson said, 'These people are now abusing the sources of media as they are against democracy and the constitution. Be it the media, the Election Commission, or the Supreme Court, those who are functioning fairly and implementing the mandate of the constitution, Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi have a problem with them.'
'This is the same alliance that has made derogatory remarks against the people sitting in top constitutional positions...The people of Bihar will ensure that the people of the 'Gaali alliance' sit in the opposition,' he added.
The BJP leader's remarks come after Tejashwi Yadav strongly rejected claims that the EC's SIR exercise had revealed the presence of names from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar on the Bihar voter lists.
'Who are these sources? These are the same sources that said that Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore have been captured. 'Ye sootra ko hum mootra samajhte hai' (We consider these sources to be nonsense),' Yadav told ANI.
Yadav emphasised that SIR was last conducted in 2003 under the UPA government, and since then, multiple elections have taken place, including in 2014, 2019, and 2024, where the opposition lost by a margin of three to four lakhs. He questioned whether this implies that foreigners voted for Prime Minister Modi.
'SIR was conducted for the last time in 2003 under the UPA government. Since then, we have seen many elections, including the ones in 2014, 2019, and 2024. In those elections, we lost by three to four lakhs. Does that mean all these foreigners voted for PM Modi?' he added.
Yadav alleged that the NDA is responsible for any dubious elements' names getting added to the voter lists, implying that their electoral victories might be tainted by fraud.
He accused the Election Commission of working as a cell of a political party, calling the SIR process a 'complete eyewash'.
Slamming both the Centre and Nitish Kumar, the RJD leader said that if any 'dubious names' were added in the voter lists, the responsibility lies with the government who has stayed in power since 2005.
'Since 2005, whose government has been in Bihar? NDA's government, BJP, Nitish Kumar's government is there. For 11 years who has been the Union Home Minister, who is the PM for the last 11 years? Modi and Amit Shah. This means that the NDA are at fault for any dubious elements' names getting added to the voter lists. That means all the elections they have won have been a fraud,' he said.
Earlier, ECI sources said that many individuals from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar have been found by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) with Aadhaar cards, domicile certificates and ration cards during house-to-house visits carried out as part of the SIR.
ECI sources indicate that, following a thorough investigation from August 1 to August 30, any names found to be true will be excluded from the final list scheduled for publication on September 30, 2025.
The State will have assembly polls later in the year. (ANI)