Rahul Gandhi alleges EC-BJP nexus, pledges to block 'vote theft' in Bihar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, 19 August, alleged collusion between the Election Commission and the BJP to “steal votes” and vowed that the Mahagathbandhan would not allow a single vote to be taken away in Bihar.

Speaking at Bhagat Singh Chowk on the third day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra, Rahul Gandhi said the constitutional right to vote was being “snatched” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home minister Amit Shah and the election commissioners.

“This right has been given to you by the Constitution. Modi, Shah and the election commissioners are taking it away. But Tejashwi Yadav, Dipankar Bhattacharya and I assure you, we will not let them steal even one vote in Bihar,” Rahul Gandhi said, addressing the crowd atop his vehicle.

He accused the BJP and EC of manipulating elections in Haryana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra, he alleged, “one crore voters were magically added between the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.” Rahul Gandhi added that Congress’ demand for a machine-readable voters list and CCTV footage was refused by the poll body.

LIVE: Day 3 | LoP Shri @RahulGandhi resumes Voter Adhikar Yatra from Punama Wazirganj, Bihar. https://t.co/6UAQKMcnK8

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 19, 2025

40% drop, 45% rise: Congress questions Maharashtra voter rolls

“In Bihar, they are now carrying out vote theft in a new manner, right before your eyes. But we will stop this,” he asserted. He also warned that voter cards being struck off could be followed by ration cards and land being “handed over to Adani and Ambani.”

Rahul Gandhi said economic policies such as demonetisation and GST had only served a few billionaires while farmers, workers, small traders and youth suffered without jobs. “You give resources to this country, yet it cannot give you employment. That must change, and that is why we have started this yatra,” he said.

During his address, Rahul Gandhi invited a local whose name had been removed from the electoral roll to share his experience. The man said he had served as a polling agent during the Lok Sabha polls but his name had been struck off in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. “There are lakhs like him in Bihar,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The Voter Adhikar Yatra, which began in Gaya and entered Nawada on Tuesday, will cover districts including Nalanda, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Darbhanga and Champaran, before concluding with a rally in Patna on 1 September. Like the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra earlier this year, it is being conducted in a hybrid mode — partly on foot and partly by vehicle.

With PTI inputs