RJD leader Madan Shah
NEW DELHI: RJD leader Madan Shah — who last month was seen tearing off his clothes and breaking down after being denied a ticket for the Bihar Assembly elections — said on Sunday that he had been overwhelmed by grief in that moment, which led him to rip his clothes in frustration.He told news agency ANI, “The pain drove me to madness. I went to meet (RJD supremo) Lalu (Prasad Yadav) ji in Patna, but no one agreed to see me.” Shah added that he had put a “curse” that the party would not win more than 25 seats. The RJD and its allies were routed, winning only 35 seats, with the party winning exactly 25 seats.However, he acknowledged that he felt “pained” by the RJD’s electoral debacle. “I am hurt that the party lost, but whatever God does is for the best. Lalu ji was not consulted on ticket distribution this time,” he said. Addressing his earlier allegation that he had been asked for Rs 2.7 crore in exchange for a ticket, Shah clarified that the demand was not made to him “directly.” “It was conveyed through the media. So whom could I have given the money to? I couldn’t just throw it on the road. ‘Big leaders’ had said through the media that I should be asked for money in return for a ticket,” the RJD leader added. The Bihar assembly elections were conducted on November 6 and 11, while the counting of votes was held on Friday. The ruling NDA achieved a sweeping victory, securing 202 of the state’s 243 assembly seats.
