Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, along with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, continued their ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra’ on the eighth day in Bihar’s Purnea district on Sunday. Both leaders were seen riding motorcycles as part of the march, which has been organised to protest alleged discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls. The yatra began its journey in the district and aims to mobilise public support against what the Opposition terms as systematic attempts to weaken the democratic process by manipulating voter lists.
The rally is scheduled to move through prominent locations, including Panchmukhi Mandir, Forbesganj Road, Hope Hospital Chowk, Rambagh, Kasba Bazaar, and Zero Mile before concluding for the day at Araria. Upon reaching there, Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Vikassheel Insaan Party founder Mukesh Sahani are expected to hold a press conference at 11.30 am. The Opposition leaders have been using this journey to connect with voters at the grassroots, questioning the credibility of the electoral system and raising concerns about fairness in the upcoming state elections.
During his address in Katihar on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining democratic institutions and influencing the media to suppress critical voices. Raising the slogan “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd,” the Congress leader told the gathering, “This is not your media. 'Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd'. Now watch TV in the evening. You will not see this slogan. You will not see it anywhere. You will not see this crowd because this is a crowd of poor people. It is a crowd of labourers, a crowd of farmers...We must not let votes be stolen.”
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At the same event, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led government, accusing it of enabling rampant corruption in Bihar. Highlighting alleged misuse of funds, he claimed, “So far, these officers and the corrupt government have taken Rs 4,000 crore only for getting residential certificates and caste certificates. The people of the BJP will use this money in elections. That is why corruption is increasing continuously.” He further assured supporters of the Opposition’s commitment, adding, “We will work to give a corruption-free, crime-free government,” drawing cheers from the assembled crowd.
The ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra’ has been planned as a 16-day-long protest covering nearly 1,300 kilometres across 20 districts of Bihar. Opposition parties have come together to voice strong objections to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which they allege is an organised attempt at “vote chori” or theft of votes. The march is scheduled to culminate in Patna on September 1, just months ahead of the crucial Bihar Assembly elections. While the Opposition prepares for a major political showdown, the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the official poll schedule for the state.