INDIA Bloc Rallies in Bihar: Stalin, Rahul Gandhi Join ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ Amid Electoral Roll Controversy
Muzaffarpur, August 29, 2025, 7:56 PM IST – The streets of Bihar are pulsating with political fervor as the opposition INDIA bloc intensifies its ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ a 16-day, 1,300-km campaign led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to protest alleged irregularities in the state’s electoral roll revision. On August 27, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin joined Gandhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, and other prominent opposition figures in Muzaffarpur, amplifying accusations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is manipulating voter lists to disenfranchise millions ahead of the November 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. With the yatra nearing its climax in Patna on September 1, the opposition’s charge of “vote chori” (vote theft) has ignited a fierce debate, drawing massive crowds and setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle.
The Yatra’s Genesis: Allegations of Electoral Malpractice
Launched on August 17 from Sasaram in Rohtas district, the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ is a response to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Bihar’s electoral rolls, conducted between June and July 2025—the first such exercise since 2004. The opposition, led by the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) comprising Congress, RJD, and Left parties, alleges that the SIR removed approximately 65 lakh names from the voter list, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, including Dalits, backward classes, and minorities. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, has termed the revision a “conspiracy to steal votes,” accusing the ECI of acting as a “puppet” of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The controversy gained traction after Gandhi cited specific instances of alleged voter suppression, including a case in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency where he claimed over 1 lakh votes were manipulated during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In Bihar, the opposition points to errors in the draft rolls, such as incorrect photos and the inclusion of deceased voters, as evidence of systemic flaws. A notable incident in Chapla village, where a woman named Ranju Devi initially claimed her family’s names were deleted but later admitted they were intact, briefly dented the opposition’s narrative but did not slow the yatra’s momentum.
Stalin’s Solidarity: A Pan-Indian Opposition
On August 27, Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin, accompanied by his sister and DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, flew to Bihar to join the yatra in Muzaffarpur’s Gaighat area, marking a significant show of opposition unity. Addressing a massive rally in Tamil, with translations in Hindi, Stalin declared the deletion of 65 lakh voters “worse than terrorism” and a “massacre of democracy.” He accused the BJP of orchestrating the SIR to tilt the electoral balance, asserting, “If elections are free and fair, the NDA will be defeated.” Stalin’s participation, alongside Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, and CPI(ML) Liberation’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, underscored the INDIA bloc’s resolve to frame the voter roll issue as a national democratic crisis.
Stalin’s speech also invoked Bihar’s historical role in resisting authoritarianism, referencing Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan’s legacy. He praised RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav as a “symbol of social justice” and lauded the “deep camaraderie” between Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, who have been seen riding motorcycles together during the yatra. “This is not just a political alliance but a fight for the soul of India,” Stalin said, pledging to return for the INDIA bloc’s victory celebration post-elections.
The Yatra’s Reach and Resonance
Covering over 20 districts, including Gaya, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Darbhanga, and Muzaffarpur, the yatra has drawn lakhs of supporters, with spontaneous crowds of citizens, not just party workers, lining the roads. Political analyst Madan Mohan Jha noted, “The BJP is struggling to counter this narrative. The ‘vote theft’ slogan is resonating across caste lines, especially among the poor and youth.” The yatra’s emphasis on protecting the constitutional right to “one person, one vote” has galvanized marginalized communities, with RJD supporters chanting “Rahul Gandhi zindabad” alongside Tejashwi’s calls to “throw out the vote thieves.”
The campaign has also seen high-profile endorsements. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and other Mahagathbandhan leaders joined the launch in Sasaram, while former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav is expected to participate in the final leg in Patna on September 1. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who joined for two days in Supaul and Darbhanga, accused the NDA of undermining democracy, stating, “The BJP, having lost public trust, resorts to stealing votes.” The opposition’s unity, bolstered by the yatra’s visibility, has shifted Bihar’s political dynamics, forcing the BJP to respond defensively.
ECI’s Defense and BJP’s Counterattack
The ECI has vehemently rejected the opposition’s allegations, with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar calling them “misleading” and “baseless.” The commission insists the SIR was necessary to remove duplicate, deceased, and migrated voters, with 2.2 million dead, 700,000 duplicate, and 3.6 million relocated voters among the deletions. Kumar emphasized that the process involved political parties at every stage and was aimed at ensuring transparency. The ECI demanded that Gandhi submit a sworn affidavit to substantiate his claims or apologize, a challenge he dismissed, stating, “I’ve already sworn an oath to the Constitution.”
The BJP, meanwhile, has mocked the yatra’s leaders as “out-of-sync dynasts.” Tamil Nadu BJP leaders targeted Stalin, reviving old DMK remarks to question his credibility in Bihar. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju called Gandhi a “spoiled brat” aligning with “anti-India forces,” while Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary accused the opposition of manufacturing a controversy to distract from their organizational weaknesses. Despite this, analysts note the NDA’s struggle to counter the emotional appeal of “vote chori,” with anti-incumbency against CM Nitish Kumar adding pressure.
A Political Flashpoint
The yatra has emerged as a defining moment for the INDIA bloc, revitalizing Congress’s presence in Bihar and consolidating the RJD’s voter base among backward classes, Dalits, and Pasmanda Muslims. Political observers argue that the campaign’s focus on voter rights taps into deep-seated fears of disenfranchisement, potentially reshaping Bihar’s electoral arithmetic. “This is the second time after the ‘Constitution in danger’ slogan that the opposition has set the agenda,” said analyst Madan Mohan Jha. The Supreme Court’s ongoing hearing on petitions challenging the SIR, demanding transparency on deleted names, adds legal weight to the opposition’s cause.
As the yatra approaches its grand finale in Patna, where a mega rally is planned, the INDIA bloc aims to sustain its momentum. However, challenges remain: the alliance lacks the BJP’s booth-level organizational strength, and incidents like the Chapla village controversy highlight the need for airtight evidence. For now, the streets of Bihar echo with slogans like “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chod” (Vote Thief, Leave the Throne), signaling a restless electorate ready to challenge the NDA’s two-decade dominance.
Looking Ahead: A Democratic Battle
With Bihar’s assembly elections looming, the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ has positioned the INDIA bloc as a formidable force, leveraging emotional and constitutional narratives to rally voters. Whether this groundswell translates into votes remains uncertain, but the campaign has undeniably shifted the narrative, forcing the BJP and ECI onto the defensive. As Stalin, Gandhi, and Yadav lead the charge, Bihar once again stands as the epicenter of India’s democratic struggle, with the outcome poised to shape not just the state but the nation’s political future.
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