Patna: In a sharp escalation of the political crisis over Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, Leader of Opposition and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has hinted that the opposition may consider boycotting the upcoming Assembly elections.
Responding to questions from the media about a possible opposition-led boycott, Tejashwi remarked, “This can also be discussed. We will see what the public wants and what everyone’s opinion is.”
Tejashwi Yadav, has once again reiterated that the opposition may consider boycotting the upcoming elections if the ongoing controversy over the voter list revision is not addressed. Speaking to reporters, Tejashwi confirmed that he will consult with allied parties before taking any decision on a potential election boycott.
In a separate media interaction, Tejashwi was asked whether his statements were driven by fear of losing the election, as alleged by NDA leaders. He strongly denied the claim, stating that the issue is not about defeat but about democratic fairness.
When questioned about the removal of names of deceased voters and why it should cause concern, Tejashwi emphasised that the problem lies in the massive, opaque deletion of names, many of whom, he alleged, belong to his support base.
He warned that there appears to be a deliberate effort to target opposition voters under the pretext of cleaning the rolls, raising the suspicion that the government is intentionally trimming the voter base of weaker and backwards communities.
Tejashwi concluded by asserting that this is not a routine revision but a dangerous attempt to manipulate electoral outcomes by tampering with the very foundation of democracy- the voter list.
Tejashwi questioned the credibility of the electoral process under the current circumstances, claiming the process has been deliberately manipulated. “When elections are not being conducted honestly, then why are we conducting elections? The elections have been compromised,” he said, accusing the BJP and Election Commission of acting in tandem to purge opposition voters under the guise of cleansing the electoral rolls.
Citing official data from the Election Commission, Tejashwi raised questions over the alleged removal of 52.66 lakh names from the electoral rolls in Bihar. He challenged the claim that 18.66 lakh voters had died between January and June 2025, asking why these names were not removed earlier. “Was the Election Commission sleeping before this?” he asked.
He also questioned the authenticity of the claim that 26.01 lakh voters had shifted permanently within four months, calling it highly improbable without physical verification.
