High drama in Bihar: RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, others detained during Opposition's march against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

High-voltage political drama unfolded in the capital on Thursday as the united Opposition launched a high-stakes march toward Raj Bhavan, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The protest, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, VIP chief Mukesh Sahni, and RJD MP Misha Bharti, witnessed intense confrontations with law enforcement as massive security cordons brought key parts of Patna to a standstill.

Also Read | Delhi cops deploy teams at Connaught Place as INDIA bloc plans lunch, protest against CEC

Heavy police deployment in Patna

Tensions peaked outside the Bihar Vidhan Sabha, the planned assembly point for the march, which is located near the Chief Electoral Officer’s office. The state administration converted the corridor into a fortress, erecting multi-layered barricades and deploying heavy riot gear and armed personnel to prevent leaders from proceeding toward the Governor's official residence.

Addressing reporters amid the escalating standoff, an agitated Tejashwi Yadav hit out at the heavy security arrangements, alleging an atmosphere of intimidation.

"AK-47s have been deployed here. Such weapons are meant to deal with terrorists, not democratic protests," Yadav declared. Striking a defiant tone, he vowed, "We will not back down until we secure the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. This march will go on."

Shortly after the confrontation, senior leaders, including Yadav, Sahni, and Bharti, were detained by police and escorted toward Lok Bhavan to clear the demonstration site.

Anti-CEC stir in Bihar triggers friction in oppositon camp

While the RJD and allied regional outfits put on a show of defiance, visible cracks and coordination lapses surfaced within the Opposition camp. The Congress party's participation appeared visibly fractured. Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram voiced frustration over police crackdowns, stating, “Police stopped all the Congress workers right in front of the Vidhan Sabha. A huge police force has been deployed along the route, and all roads have been completely blocked by security personnel.”

Yet on the ground, Congress' presence remained conspicuously thin. Senior leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan emerged as the party's lone prominent face at the demonstration. When pressed on the near-total absence of Congress cadres, Khan downplayed the rift, attributing the low turnout to a "confusion over the scheduled time."

Also Read | Dhruv Rathee's first remarks at CJP-led Bengaluru protest: ‘Not here for regime change’

The explanation did little to convince coalition allies. Reacting sharply to the Congress's lacklustre showing, leader I.P. Gupta remarked that the grand old party needed serious introspection, pointedly noting, "Rahul Gandhi needs to think about this."

As the leaders were whisked away, the standoff highlighted both the Opposition's escalating confrontational strategy against constitutional bodies and the lingering organisational friction threatening its collective front in Bihar.

The Raj Bhawan march today was part of the ongoing stir by the INDIA bloc against the alleged manipulation of voters' rolls in the SIR and demand for resignation of CEC, Gyanesh Kumar. Earlier, the Bihar opposition leader had announced that time had been sought from Governor Syed Ata Hasnain to submit a memorandum.