Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate from the Saran Lok Sabha seat, Rohini Acharya on Monday, addressed her BJP opponent, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, as “uncle” and sought his blessings for her electoral success.
She also appealed to voters to participate in the “grand festival of democracy” by voting in large numbers.
Acharya stated, “On this biggest festival of democracy, I urge all voters to come out in large numbers and cast their votes at nearby polling booths.”When asked about the challenge of contesting against Rudy, she expressed that he is her uncle and should be proud of her efforts.
“He is my uncle, and I am seeking his blessings. I am sure he must be proud of me and will bless me, especially today,” said Rohini Acharya.
Additionally, Acharya endorsed Tejashwi Yadav’s prediction that the INDIA coalition will garner more than 300 seats, attributing it to the public’s discontent with the existing administration regarding matters such as inflation and unemployment.
“I concur with Tejashwi’s assertion after observing the public’s animosity. The public, who are dealing with a number of problems, wants to see changes made to the administration. It’s a day for change, and I think the people of Saran, the state, and the country will win tonight.”
Regarding the BJP’s claim that the party would win over 400 seats, Acharya questioned the necessity of their extensive campaigning.
“If it is so, why are they campaigning extensively, holding rallies and roadshows? They are frightened, and this active campaigning reflects their fear,” she remarked. From Prime Minister to the Union Ministers and candidates, everybody is campaigning in fear.
Rohini Acharya, who is the daughter of former Chief Minister of Bihar Lalu Yadav, is contesting against BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who recorded resounding wins in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
He overcame Saran’s previous chief minister Rabri Devi in 2014. She was Lalu Yadav’s wife. He defeated Chandrika Rai, the father-in-law of Lalu’s son Tej Pratap Yadav, in the 2019 polls.
Notably, elections are being held in all seven stages for the 40 seats in Bihar. Today, May 20, is the date of the fifth phase of voting for the Lok Sabha seats of Saran, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur, Sitamarhi, and Madhubani. Voting opened at 7 a.m. and will run until 6 p.m. Those who were in line at closing time could still cast ballots.
On June 4, the votes from all phases will be tallied.
With 39 of the 40 seats won in the 2019 elections, the BJP-led NDA almost completely swept the state polls.