Rahul Gandhi to begin Voter Adhikar Yatra from Bihar on August 17

The Congress will launch “a direct fight against vote chori” from Bihar on August 17 with the launch of the Voter Adhikar Yatra, senior party leader Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday (August 14).

Rahul said in a post on X that his party will ensure a clean voters’ list across the country. He added that “vote chori” is not just an election issue but a “decisive battle” to protect democracy, the Constitution, and the principle of “one man, one vote”.

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Call to protect democracy

Rahul wrote, “From 17th August, with Voter Adhikar Yatra, we are waging a direct fight against vote theft from the soil of Bihar. This is not just an election issue — it is a decisive battle to protect democracy, the Constitution and the principle of ‘one man, one vote’.”

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha added, “We will ensure a clean voter list across the country. Youth, workers, farmers — every citizen, rise up and join this mass movement.”

“This time, the defeat of vote thieves — victory of the people, victory of the Constitution,” Rahul added, sharing a video montage on the yatra that also featured visuals from his previous Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that passed through Bihar.

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Voter Adhikar Yatra

The party had said on Wednesday that Rahul, along with INDIA bloc leaders in Bihar, will embark on a Vote Adhikar Yatra across the state against the revision of electoral rolls and to make the “battle against vote chori” a mass movement.

The yatra will culminate on September 1 with a rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.

The day before that, the Congress had claimed that “vote chori” was a “do-or-die” issue for the party, and announced a roadmap to take its allegations to the people through various activities.

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Bihar-wide yatra

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said “to save our vote, our Constitution, our democracy”, Rahul Gandhi, along with Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders, will be embark on the Voter Adhikar Yatra across Bihar.

“Those who have conspired to steal our vote and destroy our hard-fought democratic system will be punished by the people,” he said in a post on X.

Venugopal said the yatra would kick off with a mega launch rally in Sasaram on August 17, going through Gaya, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnia, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Pashchim Champaran, and end in Arrah on August 30.

“On September 1, we will hold a Mega Voter Adhikar Rally at Patna, where the whole of Bihar will send a clear message to drive away the vote thieves. We will always fight to ensure that power stays with the ordinary people and is not snatched by those working for divisive forces, cronies, and the powerful,” he added.

Also Read: 'Vote chori': Congress launches portal, urges people to 'register'

Public outreach

Congress leader and AICC in-charge of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) Kanhaiya Kumar had said that going forward, the Congress would take this to the people with three important programmes.

On August 14, the eve of Independence Day, there will be a “Loktantra bachao mashaal march” at all district headquarters, he said, adding that between August 22 and September 7, the Congress will hold “vote chor, gaddi chhorh (vote thieves, relinquish power)” rallies in all state headquarters.

“Between September 15 and October 15, a signature campaign will be run to save the right to vote and ensure people’s participation,” he had said while asserting that the whole INDIA bloc was together on this.

(With inputs from agencies)