Minister's remarks spark election manipulation row in India

ISLAMABAD: A political controversy has erupted in India’s Bihar state after a video surfaced in which a federal minister allied with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to acknowledge influencing election results, prompting renewed opposition allegations of electoral manipulation.

The video features Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Union minister in Narendra Modi-led government, and leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular). His party is a partner of the BJP and part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition at the center.

In the clip, widely circulated on social media, Manjhi is heard claiming that his intervention helped reverse a margin of around 2,700 votes during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, allegedly through contact with a senior government official.

India’s opposition Congress party shared the video on its official X account, accusing the ruling alliance of “vote chori,” or vote theft, and describing the remarks as an admission of election interference.

Opposition leaders, including those from the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have called for an investigation by the Election Commission of India, saying the video raises serious concerns about the transparency and credibility of the electoral process, according to Indian media.

Manjhi has denied the allegations, claiming the video was edited and his comments taken out of context. The BJP has also rejected opposition claims, dismissing them as politically motivated ahead of future elections.

The controversy has once again brought election integrity into focus in India, with opposition parties pressing for accountability while the ruling coalition maintains that the accusations are unfounded.