FIR lodged against Lalu Prasad Yadav for "casteist" remarks

RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday for his statement that the Bihar assembly polls were set to be a "backward versus forward" fight, an election commission official said. Additional Chief Electoral Officer R Lakshaman said an FIR was lodged against Lalu at Raghopur in Vaishali district on charges of violation of the model code of conduct for his statement that the Bihar assembly polls were set to be a "backward versus forward" fight.

This came a day after Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi during his visit here said any casteist remark was a breach of the EC guidelines, when his attention was drawn to Lalu Prasad’s statement. Zaidi said the Bihar chief electoral officer would examine any complaint about the caste remark.

Meanwhile, An FIR was lodged against BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday for trying to allure voters by promising them free laptops, colour TVs and sarees during his public address ahead of the state assembly polls, police said. "An FIR was lodged against Modi on the charge of alluring voters on Monday at his public meeting in Bhabhua, the district headquarters of Kaimur," a district police official said.

Modi, the state’s former deputy chief minister, had reportedly promised the freebies during his public rally at Bhabhua.