DK Shivakumar Joins Voter Adhikaar Yatra, Calls Rahul Gandhi Visit a Game-Changer

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday joined the Voter Adhikar rally being held in Bihar amid opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and said that Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s visit was a game changer for the state.

“Rahul Gandhi’s visit is a game-changer for Bihar. We got an opportunity, and people will understand,” Shivakumar told ANI.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, resumed their ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra’ on its eighth day in Bihar’s Purnea district today.

The two leaders rode motorcycles during the ‘Yatra’, which seeks to highlight alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

The Yatra passed through Panchmukhi Mandir, Forbesganj Road, Hope Hospital Chowk, Rambagh, Kasba Bazaar, and Zero Mile before reaching Araria. Along with Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Vikassheel Insaan Party founder Mukesh Sahani were also present.

On Saturday, while addressing supporters in Katihar, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of “manipulating institutions” and “media” to hide the voices of the poor.

Raising the slogan “Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd,” the Congress leader told the gathering, “This is not your media. ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd’. Now watch TV in the evening. You will not see this slogan. You will not see it anywhere. You will not see this crowd because this is a crowd of poor people. It is a crowd of labourers, a crowd of farmers…We must not let votes be stolen.

“Tejashwi Yadav, speaking at the same event, launched an attack on the BJP-led Centre over corruption. “So far, these officers and the corrupt government have taken Rs 4,000 crore only for getting residential certificates and caste certificates. The people of the BJP will use this money in elections. That is why corruption is increasing continuously,” Yadav said.

He added, “We will work to give a corruption-free, crime-free government.”

The 16-day ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, covering 1,300 km across 20 districts, has been launched by the opposition parties to flag the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, which they claim is an attempt at vote Chori (vote theft). The march will conclude in Patna on September 1.

Bihar Assembly elections are due later this year, though the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced the schedule yet. (ANI)

Also Read: Akhilesh Yadav to Join INDIA Alliance’s Voter Rights Rally in Bihar