‘Only 12,270 votes’: What RJD’s new figure claims

Terming the Election Commission as ‘BJP commission’, the party claimed that the Commission helped NDA win the election.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal, which has been alleging foul play since the day of counting, on Thursday quoted Election Commission data to show that NDA was ahead only by 12,270 votes. Alleging that the administration machinery was deployed to make NDA win, the party said on the basis of only 12,270 votes, the administration ‘helped’ NDA win 15 seats. “To believe these numbers, check the 15 seats which were lost by a thin margin,” the RJD tweeted on Thursday.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav attends the party legislators' meeting in Patna on Thursday. (PTI)

For the first time after the election results were declared late on November 10, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav offered his reaction.

“I thank Bihar’s people. The mandate favoured Mahagathbandhan, but the Election Commission’s result was in NDA’s favour. This hasn’t happened first time. In 2015 when Mahagathbandhan was formed, votes were in our favour but BJP made back door entry to gain power,” Tejashwi said.

On the day of the counting, several Congress and RJD leaders had alleged many Mahagathbandhan candidates were not given certificates though the Election Commission told them they had won. Later, they were told they lost. Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi were calling up district magistrates to not let Mahagathbandhan’s count go over 110, the party had earlier alleged. The Grand Alliance finished at 110, while the NDA alliance managed 125 seats.