Countermand poll in Madhepura:
JD (U), BJP

PATNA, Oct 4 (PTI) — The BJP-Janata Dal (United) combine today threatened to launch an agitation if the election in Madhepura constituency was not countermanded as, it alleged, the ruling RJD had indulged in large-scale booth capturing during polling yesterday.

A delegation of the two allies led by BJP Vice-President Kailash Pati Mishra called on the Chief Electoral Officer A. K. Basu to submit a memorandum seeking repoll in the entire Madhepura constituency.

Later, Mr Mishra and Opposition leader in the state Assembly S. K. Modi charged that RJD workers had unleashed terror to rig the poll in favour of party chief Laloo Prasad Yadav.

They threatened to launch an agitation if the commission did not order a repoll in the entire constituency by tomorrow.

Despite Election Commission’s directive, not a single company of central forces was deployed anywhere in the constituency during yesterday’s polling, they alleged.

Mr Mishra and Mr Modi accused the district administration of having "connived" with the ruling party to influence the poll in favour of Mr Laloo Yadav.

They said BJP-JD(U) activists would hold a joint march in Patna tomorrow in support of the demand.

Meanwhile, in Madhepura the Janata Dal (United) President, Mr Sharad Yadav, on Monday threatened to go on a "fast-unto-death".

"I have faxed a letter to the commission that I will launch an indefinite fast at Jhanda Maidan here from 11 a.m. on Tuesday to press for a repoll in the entire constituency," Mr Yadav told PTI.

NEW DELHI, (TNS) — The Janata Dal (United) Monday urged the Election Commission to countermand the poll in the Madhepura constituency of Bihar, where its President, Mr Sharad Yadav, is locked in a straight contest with the RJD chief, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, saying polling there on Sunday had been marred by large-scale rigging with official connivance.

JD (U) spokesperson Mohan Prakash and Jaya Jaitly also announced here that the party President, Mr Sharad Yadav, would start an indefinite fast on Tuesday to press for countermanding the poll in the constituency.

Mr Mohan Prakash said the commission had been told about the possibility of large-scale violence and rigging in Madhepura in advance. Yet it had failed to made foolproof security arrangements.

Paramilitary personnel who were present in the constituency on the day of the polling were stationed in some schools and tents and the actual security duty at the polling booths was performed by the local police and Home Guards, he alleged.

He said the party had urged the commission to order a repoll in Madhepura and send a high-level team to enquire into reports of large-scale rigging.

The JD (U) , in its letter to the commission, said officials in the constituency had blatantly flouted every instruction of the commission.

Since polling in four constituencies in Bihar in any case had already been delayed because of floods, Madhepura would only be the fifth, which could be countermanded until an inquiry was held and a repoll conducted on October 28, the letter said.