CPI(ML) chief calls Bihar poll outcome ‘abnormal’, blames 3 key ‘experiments'

Opposition CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya on Sunday termed the Bihar assembly election results “abnormal”, alleging that they were shaped by three major “experiments” conducted by the state government ahead of polling.

The CPI(ML), a constituent of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, won just two of the 20 seats it contested — a sharp fall from the 12 out of 19 it secured in 2020.

Speaking to reporters, Bhattacharya claimed that the first experiment was the rollout of the Mahila Rojgar Yojana’s initial instalment — a transfer of Rs 10,000 to women — just before the announcement of poll dates. “This is unprecedented in India’s electoral history. The government ensured all targeted welfare schemes landed before polling was notified,” he said.

The second experiment, he alleged, was the large-scale deletion and later addition of names under the SIR exercise. According to him, nearly 65 lakh names were removed and another 3.5–4 lakh added back before elections, “directly impacting the electoral outcome”.

The third experiment, Bhattacharya claimed, was the transfer of a piece of land to a corporate house at a “throwaway price”, a move he said could “normalise corporatisation of Bihar’s resources”.

He added that the opposition had raised the issue, “but it did not influence voters”.

“These three experiments may shape the direction of Indian politics in times to come,” he said, maintaining that the results were “beyond our expectations and comprehension”. The party will now conduct a feedback and public outreach exercise from 18 to 24 November, he added. “If such experiments continue, there will be no level-playing field left in politics.”

Comparing the verdict to the NDA’s sweeping win in 2010, Bhattacharya said the two moments were not alike. “In 2010, Nitish Kumar was on the rise. Today, both his government and the mood towards the NDA at the Centre are in decline,” he said.

He also pointed to what he called a structural flaw in Indian elections — a mismatch between vote share and seats. “Our vote percentage has remained almost the same since 2020, but our seats have plunged,” he said.