Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav to lead Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar from August 17: KC Venugopal

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) In a bid to rally public support against alleged attempts to “steal votes” and undermine democratic institutions, Lok Sabha leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will jointly spearhead the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' across Bihar.

The announcement was made by Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal on the social media platform X, who said the campaign would highlight the need to protect the Constitution, safeguard democratic rights, and ensure free and fair elections.

The Yatra will be launched with a mega rally in Sasaram on August 17, before traversing key districts including Gaya, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnia, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Pashchim Champaran, and concluding in Arrah on August 30, he said.

According to Venugopal, the final phase of the mobilisation will culminate in a massive Voter Adhikar Rally in Patna on September 1, where the opposition bloc, known as the Mahagathbandhan, plans to deliver a “clear message” against what it calls “vote chors”.

This is a fight to “save our vote, our Constitution, and our democracy,” Venugopal said in his statement.

“Those who have conspired to destroy our hard-fought democratic system will be punished by the people,” he said, adding that, “We will always fight to ensure that power stays with the ordinary people and is not snatched by those working for divisive forces, cronies, and the powerful”.

The campaign will bring together leaders and workers from the Congress, RJD, and other Mahagathbandhan partners, aiming to mobilise grassroots support ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections.

Political observers see the Yatra as both a symbolic and strategic move to consolidate the opposition’s position in Bihar, a state where the BJP-led NDA currently holds significant sway.

The Yatra seeks to build a momentum for the Opposition in the poll-bound state, following Rahul Gandhi's August 7 press conference, where he sought to expose the 'voter fraud'.

Although the Election Commission has denied the allegations, the Opposition continues to target it and the BJP.

With Bihar’s political temperature already rising, the Voter Adhikar Yatra is expected to set the tone for an intense political season, as the opposition seeks to frame the upcoming Bihar election as a "decisive battle" for India’s democratic soul.

--IANS

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