Bihar Election 2025: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday declared himself as the chief ministerial face of the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Arrah, Bihar. At the stage, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav was also present.
Addressing a rally in Arrah, Tejashwi sharply attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that Nitish was just copying his policies and making announcements.
The RJD leader said that Tejashwi is moving ahead. The government is following behind. According to India Today, Tejashwi asked the public whether they wanted an ‘original chief minister’ or a ‘duplicate CM’.
He proclaimed himself as the ‘original chief ministerial’ candidate of the alliance even as Rahul Gandhi looked on.
Mr Gandhi embarked on a 16-day campaign against the alleged theft of votes through the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, months ahead of the assembly election in the state.
The Yatra commenced on August 17 from Sasaram and will be concluded on Sept 1 in Patna.
The Bihar Assembly elections are expected to be held in October or November this year. However, the Election Commission is yet to announce dates.
Opposition Criticises Bihar SIR
The opposition has strongly criticised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar. Leaders claimed that the removal of millions of names amounted to tampering with votes and disenfranchising vulnerable communities.
The campaign also intends to mobilise public support ahead of future elections. Senior party leaders have described the yatra as an attempt to expose irregularities and build momentum for clean and fair electoral practices in India.
ECI Rebuts Vote Theft Allegations
The Opposition has alleged ‘Vote Theft’. However, the Election Commission rebutted allegations of vote theft and defended SIR in Bihar.
In a press conference, CEC Gyanesh Kumar said that during the Lok Sabha elections, over one crore employees, more than 10 lakh booth-level agents, and over 20 lakh polling agents of candidates work for the electoral process. And in such a transparent process, it would even be possible for any voter to steal votes.
Taking a veiled dig at Rahul Gandhi, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar further said it is mandatory to submit a “Constitution oath” as a witness if he is not a voter of the constituency the complaint is being made for. The Election Commission also asked Rahul Gandhi to either submit an affidavit within seven days or apologise for his allegations.
However, during the launch of the Voter Adhikar Rally in Sasaram, Bihar, Mr Gandhi said, “He will expose any theft of votes, whether it happens in Maharashtra, Bihar, or elsewhere in the future.”
ALSO READ: Zero-Click Spyware Targets Apple Users, WhatsApp Bug Fixed For iPhone And Mac
ALSO READ: Hindu Population Falls to 15% in Sambhal After Communal Riots, Is It Really A National Red Flag?
