Bihar Elections and Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ (Right to Vote)
Asia News Agency
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ (Right To Vote) in Bihar is drawing crowds and is turning out to be a platform for Opposition unity. In 16 days, the campaign would cover 1,300km across 20 districts and is to conclude in Patna on September 1.
Opposition’s alleged ‘vote theft’ becomes an issue
On August 27, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, joined Gandhi, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya in Muzaffarpur. NCP leader Sharad Pawar, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, senior leaders of the TMC and Left parties will be in Patna on the concluding day. Its merits apart, the allegation by Stalin that an ECI scheme favours the BJP and disadvantages the Opposition, writes The Hindu “has rattled India’s political landscape. This alleged ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) has become the Opposition’s central rallying cry. Mr. Gandhi’s speeches consistently accuse the BJP of ‘manipulating institutions’ and using the ECI as a puppet for its political ends….”
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and the “demonstrable loopholes in electoral rolls, exposed by Mr. Gandhi through an analysis of one Assembly constituency in Karnataka, have given the Opposition allegation a strong handle. The ECI, through its conduct and responses, has added credence to the allegations…….”
Around 65 lakh names from the previous list have been removed from the draft liar published. Rahul Gandhi alleges that the names being removed are predominantly those of the poor, Dalits, Other Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes and minorities, a larger proportion of whom vote for non-BJP parties. Electoral malpractice has united the Opposition, but the charges, in the view of The Hindu “much of them overblown, are a sign of institutional distrust and rot."
