Former MLA hears aloud Kushwaha’s call to arms, flees home as cops knock

A day after Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha warned of bloodshed in the event of any tampering with the EVMs and asked workers and supporters of his party and allies to come armed to counting centres, former MLA Ram Chandra Yadav waved a gun at a press meet at his Bhabua residence on Wednesday and declared he was ready to “wage a gun battle to save democracy”, but fled before the local police raided his home after a video of his boast went viral.

Kaimur district magistrate Nawal Kishor Chaudhary said a team of officials and police under Bhabua SDM Janmejay Shukla raided the house of Yadav, who had gone absconding and switched off his mobile phone.

“A case for violation of model code of conduct and another under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Yadav. He would be arrested and his arms licence cancelled,” Chaudhary said.

Yadav is a rebel RJD leader and is contesting from Buxar as an Independent against official RJD candidate Jagadanand Singh and union minister and BJP’s candidate Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

At a press conference on Tuesday, apprehending foul play in counting by the NDA, Kushwaha had warned of bloodshed on streets and called upon his supporters to throng the counting centres with firearms to save “the votes of the poor”.

Yadav, at a press conference at his residence on Wednesday, said, “If any such need arises, I will be the first to wage a gun battle with my lakhs of supporters in favour of Kushwaha. It’s time all GA leaders unite to save democracy. I am glad that many of them like Tejashwi Yadav, Rabri Devi and Mayawati have raised a concerted voice over the manipulation of EVMs,” Yadav said. “Feudal forces would not be allowed to loot the mandate of the poor and I am ready to raise armed struggle anywhere and to any extent.”

Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey said Kushwaha would be completely responsible for any such violence in the state.