Bihar MLC polls: Turnout in teachers seats tops graduates; Tejashwi Yadav says 'vote theft' won't work

Elections to eight Bihar Legislative Council seats on Friday recorded 43.87 per cent polling in four graduates' constituencies and 74.55 per cent in as many teachers' seats, even as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav alleged the ruling NDA was "misusing" the administration to enable "voter impersonation". He, however, exuded confidence that the opposition would win all eight seats. The data presented by the office of the chief electoral officer was up to 4 pm, the closing time of polling. However, voting would continue until all people who had queued up by that time cast their votes. Counting of votes will be held on October 27. Saran Teachers' constituency recorded the highest turnout at 87.16 per cent, followed by Darbhanga at 79 per cent. As many as 5.32 lakh voters were eligible to vote in the polls that will decide the electoral fate of the 150 candidates in the fray. Among the graduates' constituencies, Kosi recorded 52.51 per cent voting till 4 pm, followed by Tirhut at 42.15 per cent, Darbhanga at 42 per cent and Patna at 36.19 per cent. As for the teachers' seats, Saran and Darbhanga were followed by Tirhut, which recorded 78.1 per cent polling and Patna at 56.89 per cent. "Polling has largely been peaceful," an official said. A minor altercation was witnessed at a polling booth in Muzaffarpur district when independent candidate Bhushan Jha was asked to leave. The contest in the Patna Graduates constituency has drawn most attention following a rift within the JD(U), with its Mokama MLA Anant Singh backing Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh against his own party's nominee, Neeraj Kumar. Supporters of the MLA clashed with those of Neeraj Kumar in Mokama, prompting police to detain several people. The Mokama MLA's close aide Chhotu Singh was detained by police in the state capital for "allegedly disrupting peace and order". "These tactics won't work. My people have been detained at several police stations. This will only benefit us. People's mandate is with Anuj Singh," said Anant Singh. Kumar, a former minister and a close aide of ex-chief minister Nitish Kumar, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in the Patna Graduates seat. Anant Singh has extended support to Anuj Singh, alleging that Kumar had connived against him during last year's assembly polls. "Neeraj has always fought elections on Nitish Kumar's name. He has got no credibility of his own. What contribution has he made to the party? The party is putting its weight behind him but was silent when he opposed me in previous elections. I am ready to face any action by the party," Anant Singh said. On Nitish Kumar meeting Neeraj Kumar on Thursday, the Mokama MLA said the JD(U) chief "goes wherever they take him". He and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor have been claiming that JD(U) candidate Neeraj Kumar doesn't have the support of the party chief. Neeraj Kumar offered prayers at Baba Parshuram Temple in Barh before casting his vote, while Anant Singh's supporters burst firecrackers in anticipation of Anuj Singh's victory in front of the MLA's residence. RJD national working president Tejashwi Yadav accused the ruling coalition of "misusing the administration" to enable "vote theft". "They used the government machinery to slow down voting and enable voter impersonation. Our candidates are being tormented. This is a 'do numbari' (dishonest) government under a 'dus numbari' (deeply corrupt) chief minister. Their tricks, however, will not work and we will win all eight seats," he told reporters. JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak, whose party is a major constituent of the ruling alliance, said voting was smooth and that there was a wave of support for the NDA. Party MP Devesh Chandra Thakur, who cast his vote in Tirhut Graduates' constituency, urged voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, irrespective of the candidate they vote for. One of the early voters in Patna Teachers' constituency, Murli Manohar Srivastava, told PTI Videos, "The biggest issue this time is that of teachers working in unaided schools who do not receive proper government financial assistance. Our long-standing demand has been for a formal pay scale, pension and social security. We have been making sustained and strong appeals for it to be fulfilled." The 1981 Non-Funded Education Policy was modified by the Nitish Kumar-led government in 2008 to usher in a performance-based grant system. Under it, the Bihar government provides post-result grants to private or community-run educational institutions that largely sustain themselves on students' fees. The staff there do not have a regular pay scale, leading to unstable income. Srivastava said Yadav has been consistently working on this issue and has even secured an announcement from the Samrat Choudhary government. Yadav, the BJP candidate from Patna Teachers' Constituency, has held the seat for the past 30 years. "I thank all teachers for their support. I will not only win the election this time but also ensure forfeiture of the security deposit of opposing candidates," he said after casting his vote. Bihar ministers Ashok Choudhary and Nitish Mishra and state BJP president Sanjay Saraogi, along with his wife Shobha Saraogi, also cast their votes in their respective constituencies. RJD candidate from Patna Teachers' constituency, Sanjeev Kumar Singh, claimed that about five dozen STF personnel attempted to raid his residence despite no cases registered against him. "They (ruling NDA) are frustrated as they can foresee their defeat (in MLC polls). Around five dozen STF personnel reached my home around midnight to arrest me, even though no cases are registered against me," he said in a video message. Police had reached Singh's home on the midnight preceding the polling day, claiming that they had inputs that Singh hosted individuals who could potentially "influence" elections, officials said.