The Hindu : Absconder elected chief of water board

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 22, 2004

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Absconder elected chief of water board

By K Balchand

PATNA, JAN. 21. The post of the Patna Water Board chairman was filled after a gap of 14 years, but as it would happen the elected man is an absconder against whom the police have initiated action to book him under the National Security Act (NSA).

The controversial Patna Municipal Councillor, Ashok Yadav was elected the chairman of the Board in a keen contest, after the second round of counting defeating his nearest rival Baidyanath Yadav by six votes.

He happens to be a leader of the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal, but also declared an absconder wanted in a molestation case.

There were four contestants in the fray and it is still a mystery as to how Ashok Yadav actually filed his nomination papers. While there was a rumour that somebody had brought the nomination paper filled by him, other sources had it that he had sneaked into the election venue and filed his papers.

But, except for him all the other 55 ward Councillors participated in the exercise. And, Mr. Yadav was not present when the result, declaring him elected, was announced. Three other ward Councillors, lodged in the jail, also made it to the election site.

While Ashok Yadav trailed in the first round of counting, he emerged victorious when the other groups buried their differences to ensure the defeat of the Patna Mayor, Krishna Murari Yadav's, candidate.

The attempt was to strike back at Krishna Murari Yadav who had dared to contest against the RJD chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav's, sister-in-law, Mansha Devi, and went on to become the Mayor of Patna.

It was said that the Chief Minister, Rabri Devi's, two brothers, Annirudh Prasad alias Sadhu Yadav,MLA, and Shubash Yadav,MLC, closed ranks to achieve their common objective.

However, Ashok Yadav has been named in the FIR by a Jammu and Kashmir theatre group, on its way to Kolkata to participate in the National Drama festival, accusing him and his associates of molesting the girl members in the train in December last. They had even belaboured the troupe leader, Balwant Thakur, when he sought to resist.

While raids were conducted against him and his three associates, the police failed to nab anyone. This despite the fact that they had decided to invoke the provisions of the NSA against them. The police even have failed to attach their property.

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Absconder elected chief of water board