Respect 'Bihar ki beti' but this is a losing prez poll strategy: Nitish

Agencies

June 24, 2017

Patna, Jun 24: Adhering to his stand on supporting the NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the JD(U) took the decision after considering all aspects and the election for the top office should not be a matter of confrontation.

He said his party had always taken independent decisions, including backing the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee, who was then the UPA's nominee, for the post while being in the NDA.

"Kovind's name was announced first by the ruling party and we do not have any objection to his name. That is why we supported him," he told reporters here.

The JD(U) had on Thursday rejected its ally and RJD chief Lalu Prasad's request to reconsider its support to the NDA's presidential pick, saying its stand was based on merit and it would stick it.

"Everyone is independent to put forth views. As far as the 'mahagathbandhan' is concerned, it is not an issue of the alliance. It is a decision to be taken by each party separately," Kumar said.

He said he had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and that he had conveyed to them that it was a matter of pride that Bihar Governor Kovind will become the next president.

Kovind had worked for Bihar without any bias, he said.

"It's an election for the post of the president. It should not become an issue of confrontation," Kumar asserted.

He said the party could have conveyed its view at the opposition meeting on Thursday to pick its nominee, but when Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had come to Patna a day earlier he had made clear his stand.

"There should be a strategy for the 2019 general elections. This is not for victory in 2019," the Bihar chief minister said.

"There is no doubt about the result. We have a lot of respect for 'Bihar ki beti' (Meira Kumar). But the question is has the 'Bihar ki beti' been chosen as the opposition candidate to lose," he said.

"You (Congress) had opportunities twice. But, why didn't you chose the 'Bihar ki beti' when she had a chance to win? I believe they should have a re-think," Kumar said, adding, "But you (Congress) have begun with a losing strategy."

He said the president's chair was not for a political battle.

"Had there been a consensus, it would have been a good thing, but I do not consider it should be a matter for raising questions," Kumar said.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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