Patna, Nov 16: Bihar BJP today demanded that the Election Commission urgently provide residential certificate to voters who had not received photo identity cards to exercise their franchise for by-polls to three assembly seats in the state on November 20. ''A large number of voters have not received photo I-cards and to facilitate them to participate in the by-polls the election commission should provide them with residential certificates'', BJP state president Gopal Narayan Singh told reporters here.
An NDA delegation had met Bihar chief electoral officer (CEO) N S Madhavan yesterday and drew his attention towards this problem, he said. Singh alleged that ruling RJD men including Chief Minister Rabri Devi's legislator brother Saddhu Yadav were intimidating voters of the three assembly seats and urged the EC to look into the matter.
By-polls will be held in Sitamarhi, Fathua and Barachati Assembly constituencies.
The Bihar BJP chief also greeted expelled former party state unit president Tarakant Jha for coming back to the party fold.
Jha, who was present during the press conference, told reporters that he was ousted from the party due to lack of coordination in the party's state unit but now he had forgotten the entire thing and would work for the party. He said during his ouster from BJP he had launched a campaign for inclusion of Maithali in the eighth schedule of the constitution and would continue to raise the issue.

Bureau Report