PATNA: Congress, aware that rivals could be involved in “foul play” after encouraging predictions from exit polls in favor of the Grand Alliance, has asked its top leaders to take their place in the 38 districts and keep a close eye on EVMs kept in vaults to count on Tuesday.
Encouraged by the projections from the exit polls, the party has dispatched its top leaders, including Secretary General Randeep Surjewala and Avinash Pande, chairman of the BPCC selection committee, to Patna for proper coordination with allies and possibly also to keep his flock together after the results are known. declared.
In addition, Congressional leader and former trade union minister Subodh Kant Sahay, Jharkhand Minister Banna Gupta, two Rajasthan ministers – Raghu Sharma and Punjab MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotl – are also in Patna, the spokesman for the Rajesh Rathor state party.
Almost all exit polls have predicted RJD-led Mahagathbandhan’s victory over his NDA in all three phases of the Bihar polls.
The Congress and the Left Parties-CPI, CPM and CPI (ML) are members of the opposition grouping in the Bihar elections.
Exit polls indicate an increase in seats for Congress and other allies alongside that of Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Congress had 25 legislators in the outgoing Bihar assembly.
RJD had 80 MLA in the previous house and CPI-ML (3). CPI and CPM did not have representatives in the outgoing assembly.
AICC and MLC media panelist Prem Chandra Mishra dismissed media reports about the deployment of party observers in all districts for counting and also monitoring the newly elected MLAs.
“People have misunderstood. It is not that party leaders, belonging to different districts that are currently out of place, have been asked to return to their districts and keep a strict vigil in the strong chambers for protection. of the EVMs, “Mishra said. PTI.
“After the exit polls are in favor of the party and other allies of the grand alliance, there is a fear that the people (those in power) may create some kind of disturbance to win the elections and, therefore, leaders have been asked to keep a 24-hour surveillance. ” watch over the EVMs, “Mishra said.
Surjewala also refuted that his visit to the state was to safeguard the newly elected MLA from “poaching” by rivals after the declaration of the results.
“The people of Bihar believe in ‘atmasamman’ (self-respect) … no amount of money cannot buy them,” Surjewala said.
Surjewala also denied that the party instructed newly elected lawmakers to rush to Patna after the results were announced on Tuesday, saying that they themselves would go to the state capital at their convenience for the party leader’s election. in the Legislature and other formalities.
In response to a question about whether the party would require the post of deputy minister in the event of a government formation by opposition parties, Mishra said that “we have given unconditional support to the alliance, so there is no demand for no charge. ” ‘. ”
Meanwhile, seeing the possibility of a return to power, jubilant workers and party leaders have started flocking to Sadaqat Ashram, the headquarters of the Congress in Bihar.
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