PATNA, February 26: On the eve of repolling for the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat, the Samata Party withdrew candidate N K Singh to avoid a spilt in anti-Laloo votes.Party secretary Lalan Singh said Samata president George Fernandes took the decision to pool in the party's votes in favour of Janata Dal (JD) president Sharad Yadav, who is pitted against former chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav.
Laloo has been camping in Madhepura since yesterday. This has prompted the Samata Party leadership to take this decision.
According to the Samata Party Secretary, Singh, the party faxed a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner drawing his attention to fresh incidents of violence and booth-rigging in Madhepura. With nearly three lakh voters exercising their franchise in the constituency, the balance may tilt in favour of Sharad Yadav if free and fair repolling takes place, he said.
Mungeri Lal Mandal, a senior State JD leader, alleged that some hard-core criminals had descendedat Madhepura to capture the booths. As the constituency has become a prestige issue for the RJD, several State ministers and legislators have also left for Madhepura.
The State JD unit is also reported to have faxed a message to the CEC demanding deployment of adequate para-military forces to ensure prevention of booth-rigging in the constituency.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
