Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of attempting “vote theft” in Bihar, asserting that the people of the state are vigilant and will not allow even a single vote to be stolen.
Speaking at a public gathering in Sitamarhi during the Voter Adhikar Yatra, Gandhi said the BJP was “stealing votes from the poor” in order to silence their voices. He stressed that the INDIA bloc would stand firm against such attempts.
“We know they are trying to steal the elections in Bihar. That is why we launched the Voter Adhikar Yatra — to send a clear message that the people of Bihar are smart and cautious, and will not let the BJP and the Election Commission steal even one vote,” Gandhi said.
Invoking B.R. Ambedkar, he reminded Dalit communities of the rights enshrined in the Constitution, accusing the BJP of trying to strip them away. “They are stealing votes from the poor because they want to suppress your voice. But I assure you, they will never succeed. We stand with you,” he declared, raising the slogan “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chor.”
The Congress leader also claimed he would soon present evidence of vote rigging in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the Haryana Assembly polls, just as he had earlier provided proof in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha described the Voter Adhikar Yatra — which began as a protest against alleged EC-BJP collusion — as having grown into a “people’s movement.”
The 16-day yatra, covering 1,300 km across 20 districts, is being led jointly by Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. It will conclude in Patna on September 1, ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, whose dates are yet to be announced by the ECI.
Currently, the NDA holds 131 seats in the 243-member Assembly, while the INDIA bloc controls 111 seats, with the RJD as the largest Opposition party.