In a major political twist ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has extended its support to Independent candidate Ravi Paswan, son of veteran leader Chhedi Paswan, from the Mohania constituency on Wednesday (October 22). This move comes hours after RJD’s official candidate, Shweta Suman, was disqualified from contesting the polls. Earlier in the day, the Election Commission canceled her nomination papers, leaving the party without a candidate from the seat.
Shweta Suman breaks down, alleges pressure on officials
Soon after the cancellation, Shweta Suman broke down in front of reporters, accusing the Election Commission (EC) of acting under political pressure. She claimed that officials were coerced into rejecting her nomination on instructions “from Delhi.”
“Pressure was constantly placed on the Returning Officer (RO) and the Circle Officer (CO) from Delhi. They said they were helpless. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Prime Minister Modi, and Amit Shah were behind this,” she alleged while addressing the media. Suman further announced that she would challenge the decision in court, calling it a deliberate attempt to derail her campaign.
Allegations of bias against Election Commission
The RJD leader also accused the Election Commission of showing favoritism towards the BJP candidate Sangeeta Kumari, alleging that her nomination was accepted despite similar irregularities. “Sangeeta submitted her caste certificate after the notification date on October 13, but since she is a BJP candidate, no action was taken,” Suman claimed.
Political fallout and alliance tensions
The development comes as a setback for the RJD and the 'Mahagathbandhan', which includes partners like the Congress. The alliance has already faced internal friction, with reports of “friendly contests” on nearly a dozen assembly seats, where more than one alliance partner has fielded candidates.
Criticizing the situation, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan said the alliance had collapsed even before voting began. “The Mahagathbandhan is disorganized. If they can’t manage internal discipline within their parties, how can they govern 14 crore people of Bihar?” Paswan remarked.
Congress leaders step in to restore order
Amid reports of disunity, Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot and AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru met Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to reaffirm alliance stability. Gehlot asserted that the INDIA Bloc remains "fully united" and accused the BJP of orchestrating a “sponsored campaign” to create confusion.
“A highly positive meeting took place with RJD leadership today. The INDIA alliance in Bihar is contesting the elections with unity and strength. Any confusion being spread is politically motivated,” Gehlot declared, adding that the Mahagathbandhan will hold a joint press conference to present a united front.
Election timeline
The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting scheduled for November 14 (Friday). As political parties intensify campaigning, the Mohania episode has drawn sharp attention, underscoring the high-stakes battle between the RJD-led alliance and the BJP-led NDA in the heart of Bihar’s politics.
Here are some related stories of Bihar Elections: