'How Were Polling Booths Captured In 1990S?': Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Shares Video To Target RJD Regime

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Upping the ante on the Opposition (RJD-Cong alliance) over persistent attacks on the Union government over vote theft claims, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday shared a video from the 1990s exposing the 'jungle raj' era of Bihar.

The video purportedly showing poll booth capturing under the then Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) government, brings the spotlight back on rampant abuse of power during Lalu Yadav's regime and rebukes the Opposition's 'vote chori' tirade.

Sharing the video on his X account, Union Minister Rijiju wrote, "Look, how vote theft used to happen in your time! The biggest thief is shouting about theft!"

The video shared by Kiren Rijiju is from the year 1998.

At that time, there was Lalu Yadav-led RJD government in Bihar.

In the video, the ballot box is seen apparently placed in an agricultural field rather than any polling booth.

Voter slips are being stamped by the locals and villagers and are also dropped into the polling boxes themselves, with no polling officer in sight, according to the video.

Notably, Lalu regime gained infamy during the 1990s not just because of its 'jungle raj' but also over rampant booth capturing during the elections.

The upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar are believed to be revolving majorly around the Opposition's pitch – 'vote chori'.

Responding to the Opposition's allegations, the BJP has intensified its campaign to blunt the RJD-Congress attack and also rake up gross electoral malpractices and crimes committed during latter's rule.

The poll-bound state recently saw 14-day Voter Adhikar Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, which saw the duo traversing over a dozen districts, to inform and educate the people about how the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was 'taking away' their rights.

Rahul Gandhi had said that he will not allow vote theft in Bihar at any cost and also dubbed the SIR as the colluded exercise between the poll panel and BJP.

In response, the BJP said that Opposition's 'vote theft' or vote fraud charge was reflective of its increasing frustration ahead of the upcoming Bihar polls.

Notably, Bihar is slated to go to polls in a few months, and the political parties have intensified their pitch to garner public support.

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