Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday joined Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for the last leg of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar’s Saran district.
Welcoming his participation, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal described it as part of a “historic movement” to safeguard democracy. “Ex-UP CM Akhilesh Yadav ji joined the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Saran! He has been a steadfast ally in our fight against the BJP’s destruction of democracy, and a strong voice for the poor and underprivileged,” Venugopal posted on X.
The yatra, launched by leaders of the INDIA bloc, aims to highlight alleged voter-rights violations and protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Spanning over 1,300 km across 20 districts, the campaign will culminate on September 1 in Patna with a mass march. Instead of a rally—permission for which was denied by local authorities—leaders will address supporters at multiple points in the city.
Speaking in Patna, Akhilesh Yadav accused the Election Commission of India of siding with the ruling BJP, branding it the “Jugaad Commission.” He said, “I congratulate the people of Bihar for supporting this yatra. Their voice is being heard across the country. This time the BJP will be ousted from Bihar. The rights of voters have been subverted, but the people are now conducting an ‘SIR’ of the Election Commission itself.”
The Saturday leg of the march covered Chapra (Saran) to Arrah (Bhojpur), with enthusiastic participation from supporters.
The Voter Adhikar Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, has become a focal point for the INDIA bloc’s campaign in Bihar ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections later this year. The Election Commission has yet to announce the official poll dates.
