Patna, Nov 9 (NationPress) Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi made a pointed remark on Sunday directed at the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, regarding his accusations of "vote chori". Manjhi asserted that the Congress leader would not derive any benefits from persistently bringing up this issue, emphasizing that the NDA is "not paying attention" to his statements.

This response follows Gandhi's reiteration on November 5 of his claims about widespread electoral fraud, suggesting that the alleged "vote chori" was not limited to specific areas like Aland and Mahadevapura but was a nationwide occurrence benefiting the ruling BJP.

Gandhi has accused both the Central Government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of conspiring to "undermine the democratic structure of the country", alleging a systematic effort to manipulate electoral results.

He further stated that the ECI and the BJP-led administration are collaborating to not only "steal constituencies but entire states".

In a robust response, Manjhi told IANS, "This clearly indicates that he has recognized his defeat. He embarked on a 'yatra' for 11–12 days focusing on the vote chori issue. What was the outcome? No one discusses it anymore except him; he continuously brings up the topic of vote theft. His visits to Bihar are often to criticize the Prime Minister's mother. Moreover, during his last visit, he mocked our celebration of Chhath Puja, calling it a 'drama'. Hence, we choose to disregard Rahul Gandhi's comments."

Confident about the NDA's prospects in the ongoing Bihar Assembly elections, Manjhi stated, "Regardless of the circumstances, we are determined to establish a government similar to our previous double-engine government. Following the polls on November 6, we are optimistic about winning approximately 80–85 seats, and we anticipate similar results on November 11. Overall, we are confident about securing at least 166 seats."