PATNA
The ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar has written to State Election Commission (SEC) demanding action against the leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav after a purported video of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader distributing ₹500 each in cash to three women in Gopalganj district surfaced on social media.
The video posted on Twitter by RJD’s youth wing, Yuva RJD, purportedly shows Yadav distributing three ₹500 notes to each of the three women while sitting in his car, an SUV, while an off-camera voice reminds the women he is “Laluji ka beta (son of Lalu Prasad).”
On Thursday, Tejashwi Yadav had visited a village in Baikunthpur assembly constituency in Gopalganj district where he addressed a gathering.
JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar, who is also the party’s spokesperson, on Friday wrote a letter to the SEC, demanding immediate action against the leader of the Opposition.
In his letter, the JD (U) leader alleged Tejashwi tried to influence the panchayat election process by distributing money among the public despite model code of conduct being in place.
“The model code of conduct is effective since August 24, 2021. But on September 9, in the Baikunthpur assembly constituency of Gopalganj district, village women in the native village of RJD MLA Prem Shankar met Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav. The video of this episode has also surfaced. In the video, the Leader of Opposition is seen distributing money publicly to rural women while sitting in his car,” he said in his letter.
{{/usCountry}}“The model code of conduct is effective since August 24, 2021. But on September 9, in the Baikunthpur assembly constituency of Gopalganj district, village women in the native village of RJD MLA Prem Shankar met Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav. The video of this episode has also surfaced. In the video, the Leader of Opposition is seen distributing money publicly to rural women while sitting in his car,” he said in his letter.
{{/usCountry}}Garauli, the village of RJD MLA Prem Shankar, falls under Bansghat Masuria Panchayat of Baikunthpur block of Gopalganj district, where panchayat polls are to be held.
Former deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha emmber Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP also called it a clear violation of model code of conduct. “He did not help poor by distributing money but insulted them like a beggar,” said Modi.
RJD defended their leader’s action. “What is wrong in it? A vast stretch of the district was affected by floods. He gave money to the needy. Government should look as to how people in flood-affected areas are starving for food. He gave money to those flood-affected victims,” said RJD spokesperson Mrituanjay Tiwary.
The 11-phase panchayat polls in Bihar will begin from September 24 and end on December 12.