A fiery debate over the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls turned personal as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav clashed in the Assembly.
A Heated Clash in Bihar Assembly
The Bihar Assembly turned into a battleground of words as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav engaged in a sharp exchange over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s voter rolls.
The debate was meant to focus on the transparency and timing of voter list revisions in the poll-bound state. However, it quickly shifted into a personal and political confrontation, exposing the deep rift between the ruling Janata Dal (United)-BJP alliance and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Kumar’s former ally.
Nitish Kumar’s Sharp Retort
While Tejashwi Yadav raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the revision drive, Nitish Kumar interrupted and hit back with a personal remark:
“When you were young, your father was Chief Minister for seven years, and your mother was Chief Minister for seven years. What was the situation then? I went with you for some time, but you were not doing the right thing, so I left you. We (JDU and BJP) have been together from the beginning, and we will stay that way.”
The Chief Minister defended his government’s record and accused the RJD of failing Bihar during its years in power. He further added:
“What have you done for women? What have you done for Muslims? We have worked for all sections. Do you even know? You were a child. Did anyone leave home in Patna after dark?”
Tejashwi Yadav Questions the Voter List Drive
Responding to Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav argued that the voter revision process lacks clarity and risks disenfranchising many eligible voters:
- “We are not opposing the revision, but the process is not transparent.”
- He claimed the Election Commission had cited complaints of outsiders being registered as voters.
- Yadav pointed out that a similar exercise in 2003 took over a year to complete and questioned the timing of the current drive, coming months before elections.
He also hit back strongly at the insinuations of fake voters:
“Should we then say Nitish Kumar is a fake Chief Minister? All of us who were elected came here with the support of fake voters?”
The Controversy Over Bihar’s Voter List Revision
The Special Intensive Revision of Bihar’s voter rolls has triggered a political storm, both in the state and at the central level.
- Opposition leaders allege that the Election Commission is indirectly verifying citizenship under the guise of voter list updates.
- They fear that a large section of the population could lose voting rights before the upcoming state elections.
- More than 52 lakh voters (6.62% of the state’s total voters) have already been marked as untraceable – many reportedly deceased, shifted permanently, enrolled at multiple locations, or unverified.
The ruling JDU-BJP alliance defends the drive as essential for cleaning up voter rolls, while the RJD and other opposition parties see it as a political move to suppress certain communities’ votes.
Wider Political Implications
This Assembly clash reflects the deepening political polarization in Bihar ahead of the elections. Nitish Kumar’s aggressive defense of his alliance with the BJP and his sharp attacks on Tejashwi Yadav signal a hardened campaign narrative.
Meanwhile, the controversial voter list revision has become a national debate, with opposition parties also raising the issue in Parliament, alleging a deliberate attempt to manipulate electoral demographics.
What Lies Ahead?
With over 52 lakh names under scrutiny and growing protests, the Bihar voter list controversy is expected to escalate. The Election Commission’s final report and how it addresses opposition concerns could significantly impact the state’s political landscape before elections.
Also Read : Removing Fake Voters Is Our Duty, EC Tells Supreme Court on Bihar Roll Row
