During the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, Rahul Gandhi renewed his accusations of ‘vote theft’ against the BJP, stating that the practice began in Gujarat and expanded across India in 2014. Addressing a crowd in Madhubani, Gandhi emphasized that his statements are based on facts. He then criticized Amit Shah’s repeated claims about the BJP’s enduring power, questioning the basis for such predictions. Gandhi asserted that the alleged vote manipulation originated in Gujarat, became a national issue in 2014, and extended to other states. A key point of his argument revolved around a 2023 legislation that granted immunity to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, which he believes was designed to allow these officials to carry out vote manipulation without fear of legal repercussions. He cited instances of date changes during the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections. The 16-day ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, with Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav at the forefront, aims to address alleged irregularities in the voter lists and is set to conclude in Patna on September 1, after covering 1,300 km across 20 districts. The Bihar Assembly elections are anticipated later this year.
