Patna: The ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav began from Sasaram on Sunday with a massive rally at the Airport Ground.
The event saw the presence of senior leaders, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rabri Devi, CPI-ML General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bhupesh Baghel and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani.
Flagging off the yatra, Lalu Prasad Yadav briefly addressed the crowd with his trademark style, delivering his famous line “Lagal Lagal Jhulania Me Dhakka Balam Kalkata Chale”, and thanked Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, and other INDIA bloc leaders for their support.
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing it of robbing democracy.
He said, “BJP is not in power through democracy but through the robbery of elections. Be it the Lok Sabha or the Assembly, the BJP is winning by stealing votes. The same conspiracy is being carried out in Bihar through Special Intensive Revision (SIR). But we will not let this succeed.”
Citing examples, Rahul Gandhi alleged that in Maharashtra, one crore new voters were mysteriously added to the list within four months of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, helping the BJP capture power.
In Karnataka, he claimed, about one lakh votes were stolen in a single Assembly segment of a Lok Sabha seat, leading to the BJP’s win.
“This is a direct attack on democracy,” he warned.
Gandhi assured the crowd that the Mahagathbandhan would resist any such conspiracy, saying, “This is Bihar. People here know the power of their vote. If there is an attack on democracy, Biharis will be the first to rise against it.”
Echoing the charge, Tejashwi Yadav accused the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP. “This is not just theft of your vote; this is outright robbery. Narendra Modi wants to cheat Biharis. But this is Bihar, where lime is rubbed with khaini. People here are poor, but every child knows how to fight with chilli and spice. We will not allow dishonesty at any cost,” he said to loud cheers.
The launch of the yatra has further heated the political atmosphere in Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls.
Over the next 16 days, the campaign will cover 25 districts before culminating in a grand rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on September 1.
