Is Robert Vadra Really a Politician? Manjhi Challenges Businessman Over Bihar Election Claims
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Jitan Ram Manjhi challenges Robert Vadra's political statements.
- The NDA secured a significant victory in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
- Concerns about election integrity are raised by Congress leaders.
- Allegations of manipulation and voter list discrepancies have surfaced.
- The political dynamics in Bihar continue to evolve following the elections.
New Delhi, Nov 17 (NationPress) Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday challenged businessman Robert Vadra, who is the spouse of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, after he claimed that the Bihar Assembly election outcomes were "unfair," "manipulated," and "unacceptable." In a sarcastic remark, Manjhi questioned, "Is Robert Vadra a politician?"
During a press conference, Jitan Ram Manjhi stated, "Is Robert Vadra a politician? He is a businessman. There are numerous allegations against him. He should confront those accusations before making political comments. What authority does he have to discuss such issues?"
In Indore, Robert Vadra labeled the Bihar results as "unfair and unacceptable," asserting that the outcome was swayed by the Election Commission.
"The people of Bihar are discontent with the results. What transpired was facilitated by the Election Commission. Elections should be conducted again in Bihar. Rahul ji will engage with the youth and advocate for democracy," Vadra expressed.
Vadra wasn't the only Congress figure expressing dissent. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh equated the Bihar mandate, where the NDA achieved a decisive victory, to elections in North Korea, Russia, and China, suggesting that results favoring one alliance raised concerns.
"The Bihar results resemble elections in North Korea, Russia, and China, as the votes predominantly went to a single party," Singh commented.
He further alleged that 62 lakh voters had their names deleted and 20 lakh new names added, asserting that the Election Commission never disclosed whose names were removed or added. Singh had previously made similar claims, arguing that if the NDA surpassed 140 seats, it could only be due to "manipulated EVMs and manipulated voter lists."
Singh mentioned that during the campaign, he sensed a "neck-to-neck contest," with discussions focused on whether AIMIM or Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party would affect voter shares.
"However, the final result does not mirror the ground reality," he added.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has once again surpassed the 200-seat threshold in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. This marks the second occasion the ruling coalition has achieved this feat, the first being during the 2010 Assembly elections when it secured 206 seats.
In this election, the BJP emerged as the largest party in Bihar. Previously, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) held the largest party position with 74 seats, but this time, the opposition did not perform as anticipated.
In the 2020 elections, the BJP won 74 seats with a 19.46 percent vote share, while JD(U) obtained 43 seats with a 15.39 percent vote share.
Allies of the NDA also showed strong performances. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which contested alone in the last election and won only one seat, made notable gains this time around. Other NDA partners, such as the Rashtriya Lok Morcha and Hindustani Awami Morcha, also performed well.
Conversely, the Mahagathbandhan faced significant setbacks. The Congress, which had won 19 seats previously, failed to even reach double digits this time. Newly established parties like the Jan Suraaj Party and Jan Shakti Janata Dal were unable to secure any seats.