Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Launches Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, Alleges 'Vote Theft' Charge Against BJP

Strategic Insights -

Bihar's poll-bound state is in the midst of a heated political campaign, with the Congress party's leader, Rahul Gandhi, embarking on a 16-day "Voter Adhikar Yatra" across 20 districts. Gandhi's yatra, which will culminate in a rally at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on September 1, aims to build a sustained campaign around the alleged "vote theft" charge against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the run-up to the Assembly elections, expected in October-November. The yatra's central message is that the strength of the poor lies in their votes, which is being "snatched away" by the BJP's alleged conspiracy to steal votes through the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rahul Gandhi's 16-day "Voter Adhikar Yatra" in Bihar aims to build a sustained campaign around the "vote theft" charge against the BJP in the run-up to the Assembly elections, expected in October-November.
  • The yatra will cover over 1,300km across 20 districts before culminating in a rally at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna on September 1.
  • Gandhi accused the BJP of attempting to "steal" the election in Bihar through the SIR process, which he termed a conspiracy to deprive voters of their rights.
  • RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan politicians accompanied Gandhi on the yatra, showcasing the opposition's unity.
  • Tejashwi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of attempting to fool the people of Bihar and likened the battle against the SIR to saving the honor, pride, and rights of Biharis.
  • Rahul Gandhi recalled his allegations of vote manipulation during the 2024 Assembly elections in Maharashtra and said the yatra was a battle to save the Constitution from the RSS and the BJP.
  • Gandhi alleged that the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency in Karnataka featured 1 lakh bogus voters during the 2024 general election and levelled similar allegations against the BJP in several other states.

Statistics:

  • 16 days: duration of Rahul Gandhi's "Voter Adhikar Yatra" in Bihar.
  • 1,300km: distance Gandhi and his team will cover during the yatra across 20 districts.
  • 20 districts: number of districts Gandhi's yatra will cover.
  • 1 lakh: alleged number of bogus voters in the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency in Karnataka during the 2024 general election.
  • 1 crore: alleged number of new voters created and added in Maharashtra during the 2024 Assembly elections.

Sources:

  • ABP Private Limited, 2025, distributed by Contify.com.