Though much controversy had been created both by the Election Commission and the Congress over the conduct of polis in Bihar, factual assessment reveals a different pattern of violence. Most of those constituencies which remained in news for rigging or poll-day violence were those where the Congress candidates were pitted against those of the “left” parties. Secondly the level of violence in Bihar came down drastically this time. Unlike the 1989 Lok Sabha elections which had claimed 200 lives in the state, the total toll on May 20 and June 12 did not cross two dozen. And much against the Hallaboo, the violence was minimum in constituencies where Janata Dal was fighting the Congress.
The must be sufficient to belie the widespread accusation against Laloo Prasad Yadav who is conveniently bracketed with the Yadav criminal gangs. The constituencies that witnessed the maximum number of killings or reported incident of booth capturing are Jahan bad and Nalanda, where the CPI and the IPF, both “left” parties, were taking on the Congress; Nawada where the CPM candidate was facing the Congress (1); Munger and Madhubani where CPl nominees were locked in contest with Congress(l) stalwarts D.P. Yadav and Dr. Jagannath Mishra respectively. The case of Arrah was different: – here the clashes that marred the elections were consequent to resistance by the IPF against booth. capturing. In Prune were also the elections were countermanded, the villain was independent candidate, Rajiv Ranjan. Complaint had been made against him by both, Uday Singh (Cong) and National Front-backed candidate, Ajit Sarkar. The only constituency where the Congress and JD fought was » Darbhanga where several people were Killed. However, in Jainabad and Madhubani the death toll was maximum, most of them CPI supporters. In short, it can be said that the violence was mainly a Congress vs “left” affair. The “Yadav criminal gangs” were merely a bogey or red-herrings. In fact, it was former Congress minister and candidate from Munger, D.P. Yadav, who reportedly sought the help of notorious Kalu Yadav gangs.
Election commission favored Congress: Not merely the Janata Dal, even Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) of militant tribal’s, the BJP and other small regional organizations ran smooth campaign and demonstrated discipline on the election eve. Even in 1984 and 1988, the eruption of Violence had shown similar pattern.
This time the only Janata Dal candidate who Became controversial was Inder Kumar Gujral from Patna where the polling was countermanded on May 21. But Gujral seems to be the unlikeliest of candidates to approve things like booth capturing or rigging. Nor does he command criminal gangs, simply because of the fact that he is a rank outsider. The allegation that Laloo Prasad Yadav was roaming about different booths of Patna has been refuted by the Election Commission itself.
Similarly, the “Independent Initiative”, a watchdog body, has questioned the countermanding of poll in Patna. let’s own observers have found no truth in charges of rigging and violence there.
But then one may ask as why the Election Commission held up announcement of the results in a few places where mostly Janata Dal candidates were facing the Congress such as Sasaram, Bikram Ganj, Aurangabad and Chopra. In fact, it abruptly ordered the transfer of returning officers of the last two constituencies. The reasons for the move are best known to the Commission. But the fact that the results of all the three constituencies went in favour of the Janata Dal, have lifted the veil from the murky and hazy goings-on in the Election Commission. (FANA).
