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Matua Mahasangha looking forward to CAA-Mahua Moitra says there will be neither CAA nor NRC as long as there is TMC

CAA-Mahua Moitra

The Matua Mahasangha had raised the demand for implementation of the CAA as its leaders have been facing embarrassing questions from the community on whether the Act, billed by the saffron camp as a one-stop solution for citizenship issues faced by Hindu migrants from Bangladesh, would be implemented or just stay on paper.

An insider in the Mahasangha said, “The CAA was used as a major plank by the BJP to win over Matua voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The party won both the Bongaon and Ranaghat parliamentary seats with a significant Matua population. Now, people want its implementation.”

Shantanu thakur, a leader of the BJP aligned faction in the Matua Mahasangha, earlier this year had written to home minister Amit Shah for an early implementation of the CAA. At a time when there are rumours that the Centre has no political will to see through the CAA and also the contentious National Register of Citizens, Shah played the card less than a year ahead of the Assembly elections in Bengal. Shah surprised everyone by focusing on Bengal instead of Bihar, where the polls concluded recently. It showed that BJP was super-confident of NDA’s victory in Bihar, which ultimately materialized. The party now wants to up its game for Bengal polls.

CAA and NRC are expected to become major poll issues of BJP in the run-up to the Assembly elections in Bengal coming year. Recently, the PM had said that the Opposition had peddled the lie that the CAA will rob many Indians of citizenship and that none has lost citizenship because of the contentious law. Shah, however, did not say whether the refugees would get citizenship before the polls.

“I have a commitment to implement CAA in Bengal,” Amit Shah had said. He had further added, “The process of framing rules for CAA got delayed due to covid -19 pandemic. We are committed to it.” He had recently gone to the Matua Mahasangha Mandir at Gouranganagar, where he had asked the community members to increase ground activity in support of CAA. In the Matua Mahasangha, Shantanu Thakur was recently at the centre of a controversy, when he had sent a letter from the matriarch of the community, Binapani Thakur to the CM of Bengal asking to support the CAA. It was alleged by TMC that he had forged the signature of 100 year-old Binapani Thakur in the letter.

Speaking at a meeting of social groups of North Bengal, JP Nadda, a month ago accused the Mamata Banerjee led government of “divide and rule politics” and raked up the topic of the Citizenship Amendment Act. He informed that the framing of rules under the Act was underway and that it would be implemented “very soon” adding that ground is shrinking below the feet of Mamta Banerjee.

The comments from BJP leaders have not gone down very well with the Trinamool Congress, with Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra taking to Twitter to criticize the BJP leaders recently over the same.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated that as long as the Mamata Banerjee’s party was in power, there would be no implementation of CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) in West Bengal. Moitra’s comment came after BJP MP and joint president of All India Matua Mahasangh, Shantanu Thakur, encouraged the GOI to execute the CAA as soon as possible.

Moitra was seen speaking on ABP Ananda, “We are not here to respond to what those uneducated and liars of BJP said. We are clearly stating that as long as we are in India, no one will have to prove citizenship in West Bengal.”

The Mahasangha’s move comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent outreach bids, such as the Matua Development Board with a grant of Rs 10 crore and pattas for Matuas to ensure their land rights, a move she said would eventually benefit 1.25 lakh families.

At the Mahasangha rally, Shantanu said only the CAA could solve the problem of refugees. “Some people are misleading refugees by offering patta, but that can never ensure them citizenship. We want the Centre to take initiative to implement CAA fast,” he said.  “The delay has made people restless,” he further added.

As a result, the controversial CAA, which has made it easier for non-Muslim victims of religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to get Indian citizenship, was welcomed with much joy by Matuas. The roll-out of the Act would mean permanent citizenship for all them.

West Bengal is scheduled to go to the polls in less than six months. Amit Shah and party chief J P Nadda will reportedly visit the state at least once a month till the elections to mobilize cadres, who are currently engaged in a violent stand-off with TMC workers. The BJP has been currently on the rise in West Bengal. It had won 18 seats and over 40 percent votes in the 2019 general election and its surge has sounded a warning for the ruling TMC.

The Congress and the CPM have been seen to use violence to capture office and stay in power, and the TMC is said to have continued in the same vein. As the BJP hits the trail aggressively, sensing an opportunity in the anti-incumbency that may have built over Banerjee’s two terms in office, it seems keen on polarizing the voters around identity issues. And it will use tools such as the CAA and NRC, more than questioning the government’s record on corruption and unemployment.

TMC has been against the implementation of CAA since the beginning. Moitra said that the BJP had betrayed citizens who voted for them and is now questioning without any shame the citizenship of the voters who had brought them to power. “As a government, you lack humility,” she had said during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in the Lok Sabha.

Moitra, in her first speech in Parliament in June, last year, had caught people’s attention for pointing out the government’s “early signs of fascism”. She had said that the NRC, CAA, and National Population Register are “all tools in a Machiavellian design to first mark out and then disenfranchise and finally annihilate” Indians. “This is your biggest betrayal of those who voted for you. Nobody wants to be part of this ‘us versus them’ debate,” she said.

She also hit back at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda over his recent remark on the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). She further added that “Bengal will show the door to the saffron party before showing papers.”

Assembly polls are due in the state in April-May next year, and the fight for power in Kolkata promises to be a tough one as Banerjee will seek to return as chief minister for the third straight time.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness.

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National General Secretary of BJP states that Election Commission has promised to deploy central forces for Bengal elections

Kailash_Vijayvargiya

On Sunday, November 22, National General Secretary of BJP, Kailash Vijayvargiya, said that a representative of the election commission has promised that central forces will be deployed for the Bengal election 2021.

Highlighting the issue of intolerance, and the law and order condition in Bengal, Kailash Vijayvargiya stated that deployment of central forces in Bengal would allow the conduct of the election next year without any fear. In his statement about the deployment of central forces, Vijayvargiya underscored that Bengal is a challenge. He also added that the police in the state is known to be meddling in politics and needs to be kept aside. He also asserted confidently that BJP would emerge victor in the state polls with a two-thirds majority.

BJP would be entering into a direct head-on battle with TMC in Bengal polls next year over the control of the 294 seats state assembly in Kolkata. CAA and NRC would be among the main issues to be used by BJP to drive ahead its agenda in the polls. Matua Mahasangha community can be a central group that will push the agenda for CAA in Bengal. The Covid19 management, especially the alleged aspects of data fudging would also likely be used by BJP.

Recently, Union Home minister had paid a visit to the Jangalmahal region in an attempt to reach out to the tribal population. The saffron party has also placed a new IT co-incharge, Amit Malviya, especially for Bengal polls to reach out to places where it has no physical presence in the form of offices.

BJP is gradually arranging 23 booth-level organizational activities over the next two months, as per instructions given by BJP General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santosh to party workers. Many of these initiatives are aimed at wooing women voters, considered as a crucial vote base for CM Banerjee.

According to various reports, the party’s mahila morcha (women’s wing) will organize padyatras at every booth and mandal, and youth morcha workers will organize cycle rallies and prabhat pheri (morning rallies).

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BJP has started preparations for 2022 Punjab Assembly Polls & will contest all 117 seats following split with SAD

Panjab election

BJP National General Secretary, Tarun Chugh recently said that the party has started the preparations on a warpath to contest all the 117 Vidhan Sabha seats in 2022 elections in Punjab.

Chugh said that the party is strengthening its organization at 23000 polling booths by mobilizing BJP workers at the grassroots level to contest all seats in the next Punjab Assembly polls.

BJP President J P Nadda virtually inaugurated 10 district offices of the party on November 19 and thereafter undertook a three-day tour to the state to take a stock of the preparations and galvanize party workers for the forthcoming assembly poll battle.

Chugh said that the party leaders led by state unit president Ashwani Sharma will popularize 160 public welfare schemes launched by the GOI in Punjab and apprise people of the progress made on them in the state.

As per the seat-sharing formula between both parties, BJP used to field its candidates on three of the 13 parliamentary seats and 23 of 117 assembly constituencies in Punjab. The rest were kept for the SAD.

Nearly two months ago, the Shiromani Akali Dal, an old ally of the BJP, had quit the NDA over differences over the controversial Centre’s farm bills i.e. Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.The party’s MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal had also resigned from the Union Cabinet.

Chugh however, claimed that his party has a presence across the state. He added, “We may have had an alliance and Akalis did fight on the bulk of seats, but it would be wrong to presume that we do not have any base in the rest of the seats in Punjab. The last election that we fought alone was in 1992.” He said that besides dissidents from Akali Dal, sections of the Congress’ state leadership too was in touch with the BJP.

In the 2017 Assembly polls, Congress had won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the Akali-BJP government after 10 years. The BJP-SAD alliance had performed poorly in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as they had won two seats each, while Congress had bagged 8 seats.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness

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Tarun Chugh lauds the decision of GOI to send Sikh jatha to Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan

Nanakana_Sahib

Tarun Chugh, National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party praised the decision of the Central government to send a Sikh ‘jatha’ from India to visit the Janam Asthan Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on the occasion of the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

As per a statement, the jatha would visit Nankana Sahib from November 27 to December 1 as a part of Indo-Pak bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines.

Chugh added, “In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, all health-related protocol will be strictly followed, and the size of the Jatha is, therefore, likely to be reduced. The Jatha would leave via Wagha border in Amritsar.” He further said that special efforts had been made by the GOI to ensure that Sikhs in India could regularly pay their respect at Gurdwaras in Pakistan.

Chugh also added that problems of Sikh and Hindu minorities in Pakistan had been taken up for redressal at the appropriate quarters. He also stated, “It is in deference to their religious sentiments that a special Jatha has been planned for the Sikh devotees on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji.”  (ANI)

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TMC leader brings attention to the achievements of the TMC-rule in Bengal like Kanyashree, fast-track courts, and high rate of institutional birth

SPMB

BJP in West Bengal under Dilip Ghosh has been claiming that women in the state do not feel safe and not much was being done for them by the state government. To counter this assertion, state women development minister Dr. Shashi Panja on Tuesday highlighted the achievements of the government led by Trinamool Congress (TMC) in empowering women since it came to power in 2011.

Dr. Panja told reporters present at a press conference, “CM-Mamata Banerjee is the first political leader in Bengal who spoke about women’s empowerment. She not only said but also started different projects to empower the women of Bengal.”

The minister further claimed that while crimes against women have been increasing in other states, the government led by Mamata Banerjee was always working to empower women. She pointed out with confidence, “If we start to give details of government projects helping women and girl children, then we will not be able to complete this press conference in a day.”

Dr. Panja also said that the chief minister has always given women the respect they deserve, further adding that the government has issued cards in the name of the oldest woman in a family as part of the Swasthya Sathi project.

She also added, “Last year, we started the Rupasree project for the women of Bengal to assist them during their marriage. Already in one year, 5.58 lakh women have taken this help under the Rupasree project. Also, under the Mamata Banerjee government, institutional birth became the highest.”

Highlighting the state government’s efforts to keep women safe, the minister said, “After 2011, we have built 48 women police stations across the state. Before 2011, there were no police stations for women in the state.” She also claimed that Mamata Banerjee started fast-track courts across the state to specifically enable hearing cases of atrocities and crimes against women.

Dr. Panja also recalled that the government’s most talked-about project was Kanyashree. She added that so far Rs 9,369 crore had been spent to fund the scheme.

The much talked about Kanyashree scheme was launched to improve the life and the status of the girls by helping economically backward families with cash so that those families do not arrange the marriage of their girl child before eighteen years of age because of economic problem. The purpose of this initiative is to uplift those girls who are from poor families and hence cannot pursue higher studies due to tough economic conditions. It had been given international recognition by UNICEF. The United Nations, on the occasion of UN Public Service Day, in 2017, had awarded the United Nations Public Services award to the Kanyashree of Bengal government.

The Kanyashree Prakalpa had received various national and international recognitions for its design and features of good governance.  The most crucial award received by this scheme was the first place winner in UNPSA Award 2017 from Asia-Pacific category. It was also one of the finalists in GEM-Tech Awards 2016 organized by ITU and UN Women.

The Kanyashree scheme has two components-the first is an Annual scholarship of Rs. 1000.00, and the second one is a one-time grant of Rs. 25,000.00.

The annual scholarship is for unmarried girls aged 13–18 years enrolled in class VIII-XII in government recognized regular or equivalent open schools or vocational or technical training courses. Recently the bar of income has been withdrawn by Government of West Bengal, hence now every girl in the state can apply for that scheme.

TMC leaders and sources, while taking a dig at BJP, also pointed out that Banerjee was the most vocal leader against the BJP following the gangrape and murder of a Dalit woman in Hathras district in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh in September.

The author is a student member of Amity centre of happiness

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BJP MP from Ranaghat claims he was heckled and prevented from giving his tribute to martyred soldier

sarkardec

On Monday, Jagannath Sarkar, BJP MP from Ranaghat, alleged that he was stopped by the police from paying homage to Army jawan Subodh Ghosh, at his residence in West Bengal’s Nadia district, (Raghunathpur village) late on Sunday night. Late Jawan Ghosh was killed in action last Friday along with three other soldiers, in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Baramulla sector of J&K. West Bengal government, however, has dismissed the allegation by the BJP MP.

Sarkar said, “The police heckled and insulted me in front of the public. It is very unfortunate and sad that in this state the police are acting like party cadres”.  He further alleged that he was prevented from entering the house for nearly 30 minutes by the police before being allowed to go inside to pay his respects to the soldier.

Taking note of the incident and the allegation by the BJP MP, the governor of Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankar criticized the police for the alleged heckling. He elaborated, “On November 15 at around 2330 Hrs, the last rite ceremony of Shri Subodh Ghosh, resident of Raghunathpur, (PS – Tehatta, District – Nadia) was performed at Palassy crematorium, Nadia. Prior to that, the dead body of the martyred soldier was brought by the Army officials as per military protocol and it reached at Raghunathpur village (PS-Tehatta) and the body was placed at a ground, near his house to pay tribute to the brave soldier and for wreath giving ceremony. During the wreath giving ceremony of Shri Subodh Ghosh, MP Jagganath Sarkar was obstructed to enter ‘Shahid Bedi/Manch’ by the police officials without any valid reasons.” It must be noted that Dhankar has been known for his pro-BJP stand against the TMC.

Martyred soldier Subodh Ghosh was cremated with full state honours after family members, villagers and government officials paid their respects.

Jagannath Sarkar stated, “I had gone to pay floral respects to the soldier and there was no politics involved in it, but still I was prevented by the police.” He further added, “I was not allowed to enter for about 20 to 30 minutes by the police.”

No complaint was, however, lodged in connection with the incident, and the police did not comment on it.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Krishnanagar, Mahua Moitra also visited Ghosh’s house and met his family. The TMC leadership and the Nadia district administration refused to comment on the matter. Refuting the allegation, a senior government official described the scenario as a simple misunderstanding.

The author is a student member of Amity Centre of Happiness

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Trouble for BPF: Assam MP Biswajit Daimary resigns as its working president & may join BJP

Daimary

Before the election of BTC (Bodoland Territorial council), Assam’s Rajya Sabha member Biswajit Daimary resigned from BPF (Bodoland People’s Front) as its working president on November 11, Wednesday. The 49-year-old is expected to join the BJP, which leads the alliance government in the state.

Daimary declared at a press meet, “I am resigning as the working president of BPF.” He reiterated his point in his letter to Hagrama Mohilary, party president and former BTC chief.  He also blamed BPF of being an obstruction in enforcing the Bodo peace deal signed with the GOI earlier this year by four factions of the insurgent outfit-National Democratic Front Of Bodoland (NDFB) along with other Bodo groups. This peace deal is expected to herald a lasting peace and bring development in the four districts under the BTR (Bodo Territorial Region).

The BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) was constituted under the sixth schedule of the Constitution of India in the year 2003 after the signing of the Memorandum of Settlement on February 10, 2003, between the Government of India, the Government of Assam and Bodo Liberation Tiger to fulfill economic and linguistic aspirations of the local people and bring peace. The Council aims at bringing about accelerated progress to one of the most backward regions of the state of Assam with special focus on the development of the Bodo people in the field of education, preservation of land rights and its ethnic identity.

Election to the BTC, led by BPF, was planned in April this year, but the whole BTAD was placed under Governor’s rule. The BPF leadership has quite unhappy with BJP for placing BTC under the Governor‘s rule and divergences between both ruling partners had accumulated in recent months. BPF has 12 members in the state assembly. Election to BTC is anticipated to be held next month. Therefore, if Daimary joins BJP, it will surely enhance the prospects of the national party. The BPF is yet to make any statement on Daimary’s resignation.

 The author is a member of Amity center Of Happiness

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Mehbooba Mufti asks the centre led by BJP to take cues from initiatives taken by AB Vajpayee

After creating controversy due to her remarks on the national flag, Mehbooba Mufti had reaffirmed her faith in the J-K Constitution and the sovereignty and integrity of India, both of which, she stated, are inseparable. That controversy over the remarks on flag had triggered the J&K BJP President Ravindra Raina to request the Lt. Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, to order her arrest. Mufti had stated that as MLA, she had taken an oath based on her faith in the constitution of J&K and sovereignty and integrity of India. It must be noted that she was detained for over a year under the Public Safety Act after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

Last month, she had sparked a controversy by saying that she was not interested in contesting elections or holding the national flag till the constitutional changes enforced on August 5 last year were rolled back. This statement had sparked protests in Jammu and other parts of the nation.  It had also led three PDP leaders to resign from the party.

Mufti addressed a group of media-persons in Jammu on her first visit to the region after her release from detention. She recently accused the BJP of breaking the relations of J&K with the nation which was held in the Article 370 of Indian constitution which was abrogated last year giving rise to two Union territories. She asserted her demand that the flag and constitution of J&K be reinstalled.

Mehbooba Mufti has also recently stated that dialogue is necessary with Pakistan and other stakeholders in Kashmir. She also said that the cross-border roads be opened to bring together the divided people which can bring peace and an everlasting solution in the region. She also suggested that the BJP-led government should take a leaf out of the book of the former PM late AB Vajpayee in matters related to peace in Kashmir.

Mufti stated that the militancy is on a rise in Kashmir after no middle ground was left by the GOI for the voice of the people of Kashmir. She further added that the issues are getting complicated as the voices of dissent are being muzzled using power. The politics of hatred and division of BJP, she added, has vitiated the atmosphere. Countering the GOI’s argument that militancy was finished in Kashmir, Mufti stated that atleast 10-15 youth are joining the militancy from each village. The youth in Kashmir is thinking about two options, added the former CM of J&K, whether to go to jail or pick up the gun, he chooses the latter, which can get him killed, over going to jail.

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Mahagathbandhan has advantage while BJP-JDU alliance faces tough fights in Seemanchal and other regions

The last week ended with the conclusion of the assembly polls in Bihar. The third phase had given a lesson to some extent to the NDA alliance when people were expressing their anger directed towards the CM by throwing shoes at him. The campaigning in the state-polls had seen a wide spectrum of events from songs to display of protests. Though the results are set to be declared tomorrow, the initial exit polls have started arriving which point out an advantage for the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan.

The state’s CM had tried to play an emotional tune by stating that this was his last election. But, that seems to be not helping the BJP- JD(U) alliance who are likely losing the race to the RJD-led alliance. In especially the third phase, the NDA is in tepid waters in the electoral battle in the places under the Seemanchal region like the Araria, Katihar, Purnia, and Kishanganj. The situation is tough for the BJP-JD(U)-led alliance in places in Kosi region like Madhepura, Supaul, and Saharsa. Even in places in Mithila region like Madhubani and Darbhanga the fight is looking tough for the BJP alliance even after the rally by the PM. Places in Tirhut like the Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur look set to test the mettle of BJP- JD(U) combine in the third phase. The issues faced by women and youth could be a major factor in the shift of votes towards the Mahagathbandhan.

In the Seemanchal region, the RJD and parties like AIMIM have clear advantages. Some poll pundits have opined that AIMIM of Owaisi can cut out some seats from the expected seat tally of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. Given that the region has a strong presence of Muslims which is a common vote-bank for the AIMIM and the RJD, which banks largely on Muslim-Yadav support, this region can prove to be a tough battleground for BJP. A Patna-based journalist disclosed that Owaisi’s bid to create a shriller Muslim discourse with attempts to woo specifically the Mahadalits to create a social coalition of the “downtrodden” is not working here.

If AIMIM wins seats in the region, where it has fielded 19 candidates, it will not be overselling to say that, they can come in alliance or provide external support to the Mahagathbandhan to keep the BJP-JD(U) out of the total needed tally in the assembly. Seemanchal can hence be very crucial for the Mahagathbandhan. This region has a unique demography, as it has 47% Muslim population against the statewide proportion of 17% which makes it to be identified as peculiar in its political behavior. In Kishanganj, the Muslim comprise 70% of the population while they comprise 43% in Katihar. This was one of the reasons that prior to the third phase of the Bihar polls, the CM was harping that nobody would be expelled under the new and contentious Citizenship Amendment Act.

In the Kosi belt, it is expected that Bijendra Prasad Yadav from Supaul and Narendra Narayan Yadav (from Alamganj) of JD(U) would retain their respective seats in the NDA alliance. In the Saharsa seat, the former MP and wife of incarcerated former MP Anand Mohan, Lovely Mohan is a contender on RJD ticket. Longtime socialist leader Sharad Yadav’s daughter Suhasini Raj is contending on INC ticket from the Bihariganj seat in Madhepura. This has led her father to come in support of INC after his daughter joined the party. The left party CPI(ML) under the Mahagathbandhan is performing well in terms of the anti-incumbency sentiments.  The party has also stressed that the efforts by the BJP to paint a picture of fear about the CPI(ML) would not work in Bihar after the disastrous handling of the economy, the pandemic, and the migrant workers’ issues.  CPI(ML) is much smaller than parties like RJD, BJP, JD(U), or even the Congress or LJP in terms of resources. But, it has one of the strongest cadres in Bihar. Observers state that the huge crowds in Mahagathbandhan rallies were not only due to the RJD but also the CPI(ML).

Tomorrow, November 10, a total of 3755 candidates in the state polls would get to know their outcome over the 243 assembly seats contested. Out of these, 38 seats are reserved for SCs , and two are reserved for STs. The ECI has elaborated that there would 55 counting centres in 414 counting halls over 38 districts in Bihar. Under the COID19-induced rules, there would be no more than 7 counting tables in each counting hall to maintain the social distancing. The state Chief electoral officer has stated that there would be three-layered security setup for the strong rooms where the EVMs would be housed. The inner layer is being guarded by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and then in the second layer would be the Bihar Military Police (BMP). The final layer would have the district police. Outside the counting centres, display screens are being set up and two tents being erected at each counting centre for journalists and the security personnel.

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Despite LJP’s continuous attack on poll partner JD(U), BJP seems to have distanced itself from commenting upon it

The first phase of the Bihar polls saw a little higher than 54% turnout. In the rallies organized in the second leg of the state poll campaign, the BJP had focused on the alleged jungle raj in Bihar under RJD and appreciated the governance of the JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar.
Even when the LJP under the new leadership of Chirag Paswan has not muzzled down its criticism and rhetoric directed at JD(U), the BJP has remained silent, which is uncharacteristic given their extremely vocal approach in targeting their opposition. It might be because LJP is in such a position which can not be categorized as either a friend or a foe. The LJP has been vocal about both its support to BJP and its staunch opposition to JD(U).
In an election sprinkled with numerous parties organized primarily under three alliances the BJP-JD(U), the Mahagathbandhan led by RJD and INC, and the Grand Democratic Secular Front, the LJP can become a crucial factor in the final formation of government at Patna. The silence can be attributed to the position LJP currently has with regards to all the parties. None can rely upon it completely, yet all can take advantage of its association.