PATNA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and a host of other top leaders of INDIA bloc will participate in a march in the state capital on Monday, marking the conclusion of ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ against ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and discrepancies in the exercise.
The march, ‘Gandhi Se Ambedkar’, will be taken out after 16-day-long yatra, that covered around 1,300-km and passed through 110 assembly constituencies in 25 districts. The yatra was taken out on August 17 from Sasaram to protest against the “vote theft in the garb of SIR”.
Besides Rahul and Tejashwi, prominent leaders like CPM general secretary MA Baby, CPI general secretary D Raja, JMM chief Hemant Soren, TMC MP Yusuf Pathan and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut will participate in the march.
Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar said that the march would be taken out from near Gandhi statue at the Gandhi Maidan to Ambedkar statue near the Patna High Court. He said that the administration has already given permission for the march. “This is not a political event. We are taking out a peaceful march to fight for people’s right to vote,” he said.
The ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ evoked a huge response as Rahul, Tejashwi, CPI (M-L) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and VIP’s Mukesh Sahani accused the BJP of trying to steal votes in complicity with the Election Commission.
Leaders from across the country, including CMs of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh as well as senior leaders like Akhilesh Yadav and Priyanka Gandhi joined the yatra. “The participation of leaders from across the country has given strength to the fight against ‘vote theft’ by the BJP with the help of the EC,” said AICC media chairman Pawan Khera in Patna.
As INDIA succeeded in showcasing unity during the yatra, the real test for them will begin during discussions on seat-sharing. The question is if the RJD, which had contested 144 seats and won 75, would concede the demand of allies. Indications are that RJD may settle at 135-140 seats and Congress 50-60.