NEW DELHI, 30 April 2004 — In response to the National Democratic Alliance’s complaint about largescale rigging in the Chhapra constituency in Bihar, the Election Commission decided yesterday to a send a two-member team there for a detailed inquiry into incidents leading to alleged violations.
In the Chhapra race, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav is pitted against Bharatiya Janata Party candidate and current Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
The RJD filed two cases against Rudy and his bodyguards accusing them of booth violations and intimidating voters during the April 26 elections in an apparent effort to counter charges placed before the Election Commission by the NDA.
The cases against Rudy have been filed based on complaints by Presiding Officer Ragho Prasad of Taraiya’s booth No. 168 and RJD activist Rajiv Singh, official sources said.
Rudy has been accused of using abusive language, intimidating voters and being witness to the theft of 3,000 rupees by his bodyguard from Singh’s pocket during polling at an Amnaur booth. Singh is accusing Rudy of ignoring the theft despite being an eyewitness.
In another case, Rudy is accused of conspiracy with his bodyguards, including one Ojha, who were involved in booth fixing and intimidating voters.
“The cases against Rudy and his bodyguards have exposed the sinister design of the BJP to get the elections countermanded,” said Laloo Prasad Yadav. “The law would take its own course,” he said.
BJP state President Gopal Narayan Singh said that the cases were lodged at the request of Laloo after Rudy urged the Election Commission to countermand the elections to the seat and hold a fresh poll.
Rudy said that election-related cases registered against him were “politically motivated as they were lodged four days after polling in Chhapra.”
