Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has voiced strong concerns regarding the impartiality of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in light of the recent Bihar election results. While congratulating Nitish Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] on his victory, Stalin asserted that the outcome "does not whitewash the misdeeds and reckless actions" of the ECI.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, secured a decisive win in the Bihar State Assembly election, gaining control with a three-fourths majority of 202 seats in the 243-member assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP] won 89 seats, the JD(U) secured 85, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP(RV)] got 19, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM(S)] won 5, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha [RLM] secured 4.
The Mahagathbandhan, on the other hand, only managed to secure 35 seats. The Rashtriya Janata Dal [RJD] won 25, the Indian National Congress [INC] got 6, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) [CPI(ML)(L)] won 2, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] secured 1, and Indian People's Party [IIP] won 1. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen [AIMIM], led by Owaisi, won five seats. Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, failed to win any seats in its first election.
Stalin, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stated that the "reputation of the ECI is at its lowest point". He emphasized that the citizens of India "deserve a stronger and more impartial Election Commission, whose conduct of polls should inspire confidence even among those who do not win". He had previously expressed concerns that the ECI's "calculations would not succeed" in Bihar, stating that the commission's actions had "awakened the people".
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also acknowledged and commended Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD for his vigorous campaign efforts. Despite the Mahagathbandhan's defeat, Stalin recognized Yadav's efforts as a "young leader".
The Bihar election saw the NDA garnering 46.7% of the vote share, while the INDIA group secured 37.5%. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Mahila Rozgar Yojna, which provided ₹10,000 to approximately 1.25 crore women over the past two months, is believed to have significantly contributed to his victory.
Stalin's critique of the ECI comes at a time when questions regarding the fairness and transparency of electoral processes are being raised. He has called for greater accountability and impartiality from the polling body to ensure that the democratic process is upheld and that the public maintains confidence in the electoral system.
