Pappu Yadav defends Tejashwi Yadav amid dual voter ID row; slams EC, BJP

Patna, Aug 4 The political atmosphere in Bihar has heated up following allegations that Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly and RJD leader, possesses two voter ID cards.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a notice to Tejashwi seeking an explanation — a move that has sparked sharp reactions, including an unexpected show of support from Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav.

Breaking from his usual stance as a fierce critic of Tejashwi, Pappu Yadav defended the RJD leader, questioning the credibility and impartiality of the Election Commission.

“What is the Election Commission? Has it become the spokesperson of a political party?” Pappu Yadav asked.

“It seems to act on the instructions of the BJP. First, let the Commission tell us how many people's names have been deleted from the voter list,” he said.

Yadav accused the Commission of selectively targeting Opposition leaders and likened its actions to “obeying the BJP’s script”, claiming that the notice against Tejashwi was politically-motivated.

“Is the Election Commission some kind of Aladdin’s lamp that whatever it says becomes truth? This is not how democracy works,” he added.

Pappu Yadav further suggested that such notices may result from innocent mistakes, saying, “Sometimes a person’s tongue slips — that doesn’t mean you criminalise them.”

Pappu Yadav also announced his support for Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Matdata Adhikar Yatra’, which is set to begin from Bihar.

“We are coming out on the streets as the voice of the poor. I will be present with LoP Rahul Gandhi at several points during the yatra,” Yadav said, emphasising his commitment to protecting the voting rights of marginalised and underrepresented communities.

He stated that the movement was not just about elections, but about safeguarding democracy and preventing the systematic disenfranchisement of the poor.

When asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Sitamarhi on August 8 for the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Sita Maiya Temple at Punardham, Pappu Yadav launched a sharp attack, “This is not Sita Maiya’s yatra — it’s an election yatra. These people remember religion only during elections and forget it immediately afterward,” he said, accusing the BJP of using religion for political mileage.

“They are neither true followers of Sanatan Dharma nor do they respect the culture of Sita Maiya. It’s all about votes.”

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