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How much will Voter Adhikar Yatra benefit the INDIA bloc in Bihar and how challenging it can prove to be for the BJP-led NDA. Read an exclusive analysis by veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash.
Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra can reshape the poll battle
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra, which started from Sasaram in Bihar on 17 August and ended with a huge rally and road show in Patna on 1 September. This journey not only heated up the politics of Bihar but also completely changed the background of the upcoming assembly elections. Now the question is arising that how much will this journey benefit the INDIA bloc in Bihar and how challenging it can prove to be for the BJP-led NDA.
Senior journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash said in his show 'The MTA Speaks' Congress and allies claim that the purpose of this journey was to protect democracy and the rights of voters. Opposition leaders allege that through the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision i.e. SIR process, lakhs of names of poor, Dalit, backward and minority communities were removed from the voter list. Congress termed it a direct conspiracy of 'vote theft' and said that it is an attack on the roots of democracy. Rahul Gandhi said in many meetings during the yatra that this is not just an election campaign but a fight to protect the constitution and democracy.
The crowd seen in this yatra indicated that the opposition has taken a step towards mobilizing the public on one issue. Particularly the participation of women and youth was remarkable. Crowds thronged rallies and meetings, people were seen on the streets, the political atmosphere heated up even in villages and towns. The Grand Alliance called it its achievement while the BJP and NDA called it a mere political drama.
From a political point of view, this yatra was also important for the Congress. Congress has been marginalized in Bihar politics for a long time. But this yatra worked to infuse new life into its workers. Rahul Gandhi tried to reunite the Dalit and minority vote bank, while Tejashwi Yadav gave it the form of a fight for social justice and the rights of the poor. This brought enthusiasm among the traditional voters of RJD.
The most special and talked about moment in this yatra was the participation of Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav. Akhilesh Yadav arrived from Lucknow with his team and his presence indicated the binding of UP-Bihar politics together. A huge crowd gathered to see and hear him and this atmosphere emerged as a big message of opposition unity. Not only this, big leaders like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also joined the yatra. Its purpose was clear- to send a message of opposition unity across the country.
The presence of Tejashwi Yadav's sister Rohini Acharya, CPI ML's Dipankar Bhattacharya, VIP chief Mukesh Sahni, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar and MP Pappu Yadav also strengthened the yatra at the local level. It was also said that through the yatra, the opposition encouraged the workers and sent a message of unity at the booth level. Rahul Gandhi made a scathing statement at Patna's Dakbungla Square, saying that "after the atom bomb of Mahadevpura, a hydrogen bomb is going to come to Bihar." This statement kept making headlines in the media and the BJP called it an election slogan.
However, it would be too early to say how much the effect of the yatra will be seen in the election results. But it is certain that the Voter Adhikar Yatra has created a big political debate in the state. Issues like transparency of voter list, credibility of democracy and opposition unity have now been brought to the center. If the message goes deep among the people that their rights are in danger and the opposition is standing to protect them, then its effect can be seen in the assembly elections.
The BJP and the NDA remained aggressive on this yatra. The BJP says that Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are defaming democracy by questioning the Election Commission. BJP leaders reminded that even during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition spread the propaganda that the BJP would change the Constitution. Its impact was seen in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra but the people of the country taught the opposition a lesson in states like Haryana, Delhi and Maharashtra. BJP says that the public will no longer be misled by such propaganda.
JDU also termed this yatra a flop. Nitish Kumar's party said that this yatra has arisen from the fear of defeat and talking about vote theft is baseless. JDU says that work has been done on human development and infrastructure during their rule, whereas the real vote theft was happening during RJD's time.
Some sharp statements made about Prime Minister Modi from the Congress platform in Darbhanga further heated up the atmosphere. BJP and NDA made it a big issue and have now announced Bihar Bandh on September 4. BJP has demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav.
At the same time, RJD says that this yatra has brought a new wave of enthusiasm and confidence among the workers. He says that earlier the minds of the workers of the Mahagathbandhan were united but now both the hearts and minds have come together and this will give a decisive result in the elections.
If we look at the background of Bihar politics, caste equations have always played an important role here. RJD's Yadav-Muslim equation, Congress' minority base and rural support of the left parties have been strengthened by this yatra. At the same time, the core vote bank of BJP and JDU i.e. upper caste and extremely backward classes are still seen standing with them. This is the reason why this election battle is going to be very tough and interesting.
Political history tells us that when a yatra or campaign focuses on issues of public concern and the public participates in it, its results are seen in the elections. Whether it was YSR's padayatra in Andhra Pradesh or Samajwadi Party's yatras in Uttar Pradesh, all have affected the political results. In such a situation, this voter adhikar yatra of Rahul Gandhi can also play an important role in Bihar politics in the coming times.
Now it remains to be seen whether this yatra proves to be decisive for the opposition or it remains limited to just crowds and slogans. But it is certain that the Mahagathbandhan has started the electoral battle in Bihar through this yatra and has given a tough challenge to the BJP-NDA.
It is also important to know here that when the assembly elections were held in Bihar 5 years ago, the Election Commission of India had announced the dates of the elections on 25 September and voting was held in October. After that the results came on 10 November. If we look at it from this perspective, the Election Commission can announce the dates of Bihar Assembly elections any day now. This is the reason why Rahul Gandhi's Voter adhikar Yatra is being considered very important in terms of election strategy. The opposition has already tried to send a message to the public through this yatra, so that with the announcement of elections, its hold can be strengthened up to the booth level.
