As Phase 1 of the Bihar Assembly Election concluded with a record voter turnout of 64.66%, AltNews co-founder and alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair came under sharp criticism for allegedly spreading misinformation against Doordarshan News (DD News) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, insinuating that the state broadcaster had advance knowledge of an NDA victory.
PM Modi’s Post After Phase 1
Following the conclusion of voting, Prime Minister Modi posted on X: “In the first phase of voting in the Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA has gained a massive lead. Along with this, its wave is visible everywhere in the second phase as well. Amid this enthusiasm of the public, tomorrow afternoon around 1:45 PM, I will have the good fortune to communicate with my family members in Aurangabad, and around 3:30 PM in Bhabhua.”
बिहार विधानसभा चुनावों में पहले चरण की वोटिंग में एनडीए ने भारी बढ़त हासिल कर ली है। इसके साथ ही दूसरे चरण में भी हर तरफ उसकी लहर नजर आ रही है। जनता-जनार्दन के इसी जोश के बीच कल दोपहर करीब 1:45 बजे औरंगाबाद और लगभग 3:30 बजे भभुआ में अपने परिवारजनों से संवाद का सौभाग्य प्राप्त…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 6, 2025
The statement, typical of political leaders after polling, reflected optimism and confidence in the NDA’s performance.
DD News Relays PM’s Statement
DD News subsequently shared a verbatim Hindi translation of the Prime Minister’s post, repeating the same words about the NDA’s “lead” and the Prime Minister’s scheduled engagements. The tweet was clearly attributed to PM Modi and did not include any independent commentary or electoral analysis from the broadcaster.
What Zubair Posted
Shortly after, Mohammed Zubair posted a screenshot of DD News’ tweet, writing: “How does the national broadcaster @DDNewsHindi know that NDA is leading in the Bihar first phase?”
Zubair’s post implied that DD News possessed insider knowledge of the results, suggesting, without evidence, that the elections were “rigged” or that the broadcaster was complicit in manipulating public perception. Critics described this as an attempt to echo the “vote chori” (vote theft) narrative being circulated by sections of the opposition.
Fact Check
A review of the posts shows that DD News merely relayed PM Modi’s own tweet — word for word — without making any independent claims. The Prime Minister’s statement itself was a political assertion, not an official result or forecast. Political leaders, including opposition figures, routinely make such claims of confidence once voting concludes.
For instance, Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also took to X after Phase 1 to declare that a “wave of change” was sweeping Bihar in favor of the Mahagathbandhan. He wrote, “For the first time in 20 years, an unprecedented wave of change is visible in favor of the Mahagathbandhan.”
आज बिहार ने प्रथम चरण में बदलाव के लिए मतदान किया है। हर बिहारवासी ने 20 साल के अंधकार को मिटाने के लिए, घर से निकल कर परिवर्तन की ऐसी रोशनी जलाई कि पूरे बिहार में सुख, समृद्धि, सुरक्षा, सम्मान, सौहार्द, शांति और खुशहाली की दस्तक सुनाई देने लगी है।
20 साल में पहली बार इस तरह की… pic.twitter.com/keAttt0I5P
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) November 6, 2025
Observers noted that if a news channel had quoted Yadav’s statement, it would not imply that either the channel or the politician possessed pre-poll results. The same logic applies to DD News quoting PM Modi.
Zubair – Peddling Deliberate Misinformation
Zubair seems to want to manipulate the narrative by posting an English translation of DD News’ Hindi tweet — removing context and attribution — to make it appear as though DD News had independently declared an NDA lead. This misrepresentation seems to be designed to mislead English-speaking audiences and undermine public trust in the Election Commission and state media during an ongoing poll.
Pattern of Misleading Claims
Zubair has previously been accused of spreading misinformation and selectively targeting Hindu groups and government institutions under the guise of fact-checking. His past controversies include posts relating to Nupur Sharma’s televised remarks, where instead of addressing facts, he amplified outrage and personal attacks, leading to widespread threats against the former BJP spokesperson.
He has also been accused of distorting incidents in Mhow, Dharmasthala, and Kanwariya processions, and for allegedly whitewashing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
Analysts have warned that such misleading narratives during an active election phase can harm public confidence in the electoral process. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has consistently emphasized that political leaders are free to express confidence post-voting, as long as no polling data or exit polls are cited.
(Source: OpIndia)
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