Maya urges EC for fair Bihar polls

Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati on Monday said the murder of Gopal Khemka, a prominent industrialist and BJP leader, in Patna, has heated up the politics of Bihar "in a new way" and the election commission must take steps to ensure peaceful elections in the state.

She also reiterated that BSP will contest the upcoming Bihar elections solo.

In her tweet on X, she said, "Although in Bihar, cases of atrocities, murders, and caste-based exploitation, especially against Dalits, backward classes, exploited, poor, and their women, and depriving people of these classes of their rights have always been a topic of discussion, the recent murder of Gopal Khemka has heated up the politics of the state in a new way along with the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. If the EC takes cognizance of this bloodshed and initiates appropriate action right now, it will be better for conducting peaceful elections in the state."

She said: "During the special intensive revision of the voters' list in Bihar before the elections, all these violent incidents are being done by whom and for who's selfish interests? Not only is the coalition govt of the state in the dock regarding this, but the politics has also become quite volatile. It remains to be seen what effect it will have on political equations and elections in the state."

She further said that BSP is a party of Bahujans, especially Dalits, other backward classes, deprived, exploited, poor and labourers and is fighting Bihar elections on its own under the principle and policy of depending on the physical and financial strength of its cadres and well-wishers.

"That is why an appeal is made to the EC that whatever strict steps are needed to free Bihar elections from misuse of govt machinery as well as muscle, money, and criminal power should be taken in time so that the poll campaign proves to be free and fair," she said.