‘If You Defeat The Mandate… Bihar Streets Will Witness Scenes Like Bangladesh & Nepal,’ Says RJD MLC; FIR Registered

Patna: As Bihar heads into a crucial vote-counting day, tension has flared after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and MLC Sunil Kumar Singh issued a stark warning to election officials, cautioning them against any attempt to “manipulate the people’s mandate.”  

Speaking to ANI ahead of the counting for all 243 Assembly seats on Friday, Singh said: “...Many of our candidates were forcibly defeated in 2020.....I have requested all our officials involved in the counting process that, if you defeat the person whom the public has given their mandate, the same scenes you witnessed on the roads in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will be seen on the roads of Bihar as well. 

"You will see the common people taking to the streets...We are absolutely vigilant about this, and we urge you not to do anything that goes against public sentiment, that the public will not accept... We are getting 140-160 seats and the new government will be formed in the state under Tejashwi Yadav's leadership.”

The remarks are seen as a direct threat to election authorities prompting swift backlash from rival parties and legal action. An FIR has been registered against Singh under sections 174, 353, and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with 123(4) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act, and Section 66 of the IT Act, for issuing what officials termed an “inflammatory” statement.

Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan sharply criticised the RJD leader’s comments, accusing the opposition alliance of being unable to accept defeat.

“They are unable to digest the fact that they are losing the Bihar election and, in frustration, are making derogatory and provocative remarks,” Paswan told ANI. “The level of satisfaction seen among the NDA is not present in the Mahagathbandhan. We are going to form a strong government in Bihar that will work for the progress of the state over the next five years.”

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh also weighed in, saying Singh’s comments reflected the “jungle raj mindset” that the people of Bihar had rejected through their votes.

“The RJD's thinking has now come to light before the people of Bihar. It is against this very jungle raj mindset that the people of Bihar have cast their votes,” Vallabh said, predicting a poor showing for the opposition. “This is nothing but jungle raj, and it's precisely against this that the people of Bihar have voted. Because of this very mindset of theirs, they will not even get 34% marks tomorrow.”

The controversy adds a volatile edge to an already charged political atmosphere. Counting begins at 8 am on Friday, with both the ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan claiming confidence of victory.

While Singh’s comments have drawn legal scrutiny and political condemnation, they also reveal the heightened anxiety in the RJD camp over fears of a repeat of the 2020 assembly outcome, where several candidates alleged irregularities. “Many of our candidates were forcibly defeated in 2020,” Singh reiterated, adding that the party remains “absolutely vigilant” this time.

The exit polls, meanwhile, predict a narrow but clear win for the NDA, setting the stage for an intense showdown as Bihar awaits its verdict.