Bihar: Dy CM, Tejashwi aide spar in Lakhisarai

PATNA: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha on Thursday accused goons of the RJD, the main Opposition party, of attacking his convoy in a village in Lakhisaraihis home turfwhere he went following complaints that voters were being terrorised. According to Sinha, stones were pelted and cow dung hurled at his convoy. The incident reportedly occurred when Sinha reached the Nadiyawan village to oversee polling in Lakhisarai, from where he is seeking a fourth consecutive term. I had received complaints from the village. Our polling agent was shooed away by RJD goons who had terrorised local voters, mostly Dalits and extremely backward classes. So, I came here myself, Sinha said. The BJP leader is said to have confronted RJD MLC Ajay Singh for allegedly leading a group of his party supporters with Congress leader Sujit who were trying to intimidate voters outside the polling station. Sinha has demanded action against the RJD legislator, claiming that the latter was under the influence of liquor and actively attempting to vitiate the polling process. Singh, on the other hand, has accused Sinha of violating the Election Commissions (EC) model code of conduct by moving in a convoy while polling was on in the constituency. He further claimed that Sinha had accused him of disrupting the electoral exercise at the station as the latter feared a defeat. Munger DIG Rakesh Kumar said strict action would be initiated against anyone found to be at fault. An investigation is under way. Action will be taken after reviewing the evidence, he stated, adding that overall polling in Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura and Munger was held without incident. Taking a serious view of the alleged attack on the Deputy CM, the EC has asked the state police chief to probe the incident and submit a report in this regard. Under lens of poll panel The EC top brass is monitoring the polling in Bihar through the live feed available from polling stations. CCTVs have been installed for the first time in all polling stations of the state. From 19 to 92, voters seek garbage-free roads Garbage lay strewn in front of a polling station in Kumhrar constituency as voters, from a 19-year-old first-timer to a 92-year-old veteran doctor, queued up. Several voters, whether young or old, in Patrakar Nagar area in the state capital Patna, spoke of the dire condition of roads and the very poor level of sanitation in the streets. They expressed hope that the next MLA would be sensitive to the rundown infrastructure. Bigwigs at the booth CM Nitish Kumar, his deputies Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha and INDIA blocs CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav were among the top Bihar politicians who cast their votes on Thursday.