ELECTIONS

Laloo claims Bihar polling was peaceful

May 08, 2004 15:19 IST

Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav on Saturday told the Election Commission that it was misled by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies over complaints of violence during polling in Bihar.

The former Bihar chief minister had a 30-minute meeting with the three-member commission in New Delhi.

"Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy and other NDA ministers have raised a hue and cry and misled the commission that there were irregularities in Chhapra," he said, adding it was their "old habit to save their face from the ignominy of defeat."

Asked about his opinion on the BJP's demand for countermanding of polling in Chhapra, Laloo said: "We have told the commission that it is free to hold repoll in those polling booths where it feels there was rigging. We are not making any demand as polling was peaceful."

Alleging that Rudy had not disclosed in his affidavit that there was a flat in his wife's name, Yadav said he had drawn the commission's attention to Rudy's property and submitted documents to substantiate his claim.

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