Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, Aug 16: Stepping up its campaign against alleged voter roll manipulation in Bihar, the Congress party is set to launch a 16-day-long 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram on Sunday, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi leading the charge.

The foot march — inspired by the Bharat Jodo Yatra — aims to highlight what Congress calls a systematic attempt at “vote chori” (vote theft) through fraudulent additions and deletions in the electoral rolls during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Pawan Khera accused both the BJP and the Election Commission of collusion in tampering with voter data. “This is a battle to uphold the sanctity of ‘one person, one vote’,” said Khera. “Those who conspire won’t stop — we must awaken the people to resist vote theft.”

Khera revealed that the yatra will cover 1,300 km across Bihar and culminate in a massive rally in Patna on September 1. He said the movement is not only about electoral integrity but also about empowering citizens to defend their democratic rights.

“The right to vote is what lets us breathe freely in a democracy,” Khera wrote on X, crediting Rahul Gandhi with launching a struggle to protect that right.

Khera also claimed that whistleblowers and citizens have started coming forward with evidence of alleged voter roll rigging and accused the Election Commission of maintaining “double standards.”

He called on the public to join the yatra and turn it into a people’s movement.

“Whenever Rahul Gandhi embarks on a journey, Indian democracy moves in a new direction. This will be a historic march for the right to vote,” Khera concluded.

The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' comes just months ahead of key elections in Bihar, setting the stage for an intense political showdown over the fairness of the electoral process.