Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has sparked political tremors in Bihar by hinting that his party, along with other constituents of the opposition Mahagathbandhan, may consider boycotting the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The move comes in protest against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which Yadav alleges could disenfranchise lakhs of voters.
Speaking to reporters, Tejashwi said, “That too can be discussed,” when asked whether the opposition alliance would consider staying away from the polls. He added that a final decision would be taken only after consulting alliance partners and the people of Bihar. “We are watching the situation closely,” he said.
The RJD has been vocal against the SIR, launched on June 24, under which voters are being asked to submit one of 11 listed documents to confirm their eligibility. The opposition contends that widely held documents like Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards have been inexplicably excluded.
According to Yadav, this process could lead to the disenfranchisement of 12–15% of Bihar’s electorate, particularly the poor, migrants, and rural voters.
In a bid to mount national pressure, the RJD leader has written to 35 opposition leaders across India, flagging what he described as an “unconstitutional attempt” to suppress votes in Bihar.
BJP Slams ‘Fear-Driven’ Threat
The BJP has hit back, accusing Yadav of playing politics to cover up declining public support. “He has realized that people have rejected him. This is nothing but nervousness,” said BJP Bihar spokesperson Nikhil Anand. “Bihar does not take him seriously,” he added.
The saffron party further claimed that Yadav’s comments were aimed at setting the stage for an electoral loss and questioned the rationale behind raising objections to an exercise meant to ensure clean and updated voter rolls.
Chirag Paswan Challenges Tejashwi
Adding fuel to the fire, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan threw down a direct challenge to the RJD leader and Congress’s Rahul Gandhi. “If they have the courage, they should boycott the elections,” Paswan said in Patna, accusing the Mahagathbandhan of “drama” to distract from governance failures.
Supreme Court Steps In
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court intervened, asking the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration cards as valid identity proofs. The apex court’s directive came in response to concerns raised by civil society groups and opposition parties that the SIR process could lead to a mass exclusion of eligible voters just months before the state goes to polls.
The Commission has yet to formally update its guidelines following the SC directive. The deadline for submitting documents under SIR is July 25, and the opposition is expected to take a final call on participation after that.
Close Contest Expected
The Bihar Assembly elections, likely to be held in October–November 2025, are shaping up to be a closely contested battle between the ruling NDA, led by the BJP and JD(U), and the opposition Mahagathbandhan. Political observers note that a boycott by the Mahagathbandhan could not only delegitimize the electoral process but also raise constitutional questions.
