The storm surrounding the BISCOMAUN election refuses to settle, with the latest twist being the Election Authority’s decision to reorder the counting of votes. While outgoing Chairman Sunil Singh alleges a conspiracy to overturn his victory, his rival Vishal Singh insists that recounting is a natural demand when candidates lose by a narrow margin.
In an official notification, the Returning Officer has scheduled the recount for February 1, 2025. The announcement states: “The Cooperative Election Authority, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, New Delhi, has directed a recount of ballots for Group ‘A’ (General) and Group ‘A’ (SC/ST) positions on the Board of Directors of Biscomaun (Bihar-Jharkhand). The recounting will take place on February 1, 2025, starting at 11:00 AM at Shri Krishna Memorial Hall, Gandhi Maidan, Patna. All concerned parties are requested to be present either in person or through an authorized representative.”
The original election and vote counting took place on January 24, 2025, where Sunil Kumar Singh, representing the RJD, secured a decisive victory over the rival panel led by NCCF Chairman and BJP leader Vishal Singh.
Reacting to the recount order, Sunil Kumar Singh expressed deep skepticism about the motives behind it. He questioned the integrity of the Cooperative Election Authority (CEA), stating: “This election was conducted under the supervision of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and senior officers of the Bihar government. The sudden order for a recount raises serious concerns about the CEA’s credibility and democratic principles.”
While he claimed to have no issue with the recount itself, Singh warned of possible ballot tampering, drawing parallels to the Chandigarh Mayor elections.
In response, Vishal Singh dismissed Sunil’s concerns, telling Indian Cooperative: “There are candidates who lost by just one or two votes. It took them over three to four days to convince the Election Authority to approve a recount. “Sunil ji himself would have demanded the same if his candidates had lost by such a small margin. We would not have objected”, he stated
Vishal further criticized Sunil’s allegations against the government, questioning how a panel allegedly backed by powerful authorities could lose by such a thin margin.
“Some candidates had over 20 of their votes cancelled. They deserve a fair chance. The Election Authority has simply done its job—where is the government’s involvement in this?” he asked.
“A co-operator harms the cooperative movement by unnecessarily dragging the government into every issue,” said Vishal, emphasizing that NCCF has achieved a profit of Rs 150 crores due to government support. “A true co-operator recognizes the importance of cooperation between Sahakar and Sahakar,” he added, showcasing his philosophical maturity.
Vishal also took a swipe at Sunil’s past statements, recalling: “This is the same man who said he would quit politics if I secured 25, 35, or 51 votes. Now that I’ve received over 140 votes in the Biscomaun elections, will he stand by his word and step away? He is known for making exaggerated claims in cooperative circles.”
Meanwhile, Sunil Singh has announced a press conference in Patna, where he plans to expose what he calls the government’s attempt to weaken his position in Biscomaun.
“We will not accept this recount. Instead, we will demand fresh elections for the Board of Directors, as we have lost all faith in this process,” he declared.
As the controversy deepens, all eyes are now on the scheduled recount on February 1, 2025, which could further escalate tensions in Bihar’s cooperative politics.
