Thu Jul 24 04:07:26 UTC 2025: ## Bihar Opposition Threatens Election Boycott Over Alleged Bias

**Patna, July 24, 2025** – The political landscape in Bihar has become increasingly tense as the Leader of the Opposition, Tejashwi Yadav, has raised the possibility of a boycott of the upcoming State Assembly elections by opposition parties. This drastic measure is being considered following allegations of bias against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and concerns over potential voter roll manipulation.

Yadav, of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), voiced his concerns after a heated debate in the Bihar Assembly regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. He accused the ECI of working “at the behest of BJP and ruling NDA” and expressed alarm over the potential deletion of a significant number of voters – estimated to be between 50 and 80 lakhs.

“If the state polls are conducted in a partial and manipulative manner where it is already decided who would win what number of seats, what is the use of conducting such an election?” Yadav stated on Wednesday, adding that a final decision on the boycott would be made after consulting with alliance partners and the public.

The Congress party has thrown its support behind the RJD on the issue, with senior state leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan affirming that they would seriously discuss joining a protest if voters were denied their franchise.

However, the ruling Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) has dismissed the boycott threat as a sign of “sheer desperation and hopelessness.” JD-U spokesperson Neeraj Kumar pointed to the RJD’s poor performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as evidence of their waning popularity.

The mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), which includes the RJD, Congress, and three Left parties (CPI, CPM, and CPI-ML), is expected to make a final decision on the potential boycott in the coming days, possibly after the conclusion of the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature.

The Bihar State Assembly elections are scheduled for October-November this year. The potential boycott by the opposition parties could significantly impact the election’s legitimacy and further polarize the political climate in the state.

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