Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav have come out swinging against the Election Commission, accusing it of trying to manipulate votes in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The leaders, speaking at a joint press conference in Araria alongside CPI (ML) Liberation’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, vowed to block any attempts to compromise the democratic process. The fiery accusations come as the I.N.D.I.A. bloc prepares to release a common manifesto for the polls.
Gandhi didn’t mince words, calling the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls an institutionalized ploy by the EC to aid the BJP. “We will not allow the EC to steal votes in Bihar,” he declared. “The poll panel is working for the benefit of the BJP.” His remarks highlight the increasing tension between opposition parties and election authorities, which they claim have become partisan.
Tejashwi Yadav doubled down on the criticism, branding the EC as a “cell of the BJP” and sarcastically dubbing it “Modi Aayog.” He argued that the SIR exercise undermines democracy, framing it as an attempt to manipulate voter rolls in favor of the ruling party. “The EC has lost all credibility,” Yadav said, pointing to recent controversies surrounding electoral transparency.
The RJD leader also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments on “infiltrators,” dismissing them as election rhetoric meant to polarize voters. “Not a single case of illegal immigrants has been cited by the EC in court,” Yadav pointed out. “Yet, BJP leaders keep raising this issue for political gains.”
Dipankar Bhattacharya chimed in, suggesting that the Election Commission’s inconsistent actions have turned it into a “Kendriya Chunauti Aayog” (Central Challenge Commission) rather than a fair electoral body. His wordplay underscored the growing frustration among opposition figures over perceived biases.
The press conference wasn’t all serious though. When asked about Chirag Paswan’s jibe calling the Congress a “sidekick” of the RJD, Yadav responded with humor, advising Paswan to “get married, it is high time.” Rahul Gandhi lightened the mood further by joking that he was “in talks” with Lalu Prasad about marriage advice, referencing the RJD chief’s past suggestion that Gandhi tie the knot.
Earlier in the day, Gandhi and Yadav were spotted riding a motorcycle during their Voter Adhikar Yatra in Purnia, part of a 16-day campaign spotlighting alleged discrepancies in Bihar’s voter lists. The visual of the two leaders sharing a ride added a personal touch to their political alliance.
With tensions rising ahead of the elections, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is positioning itself as a united front against what it sees as systemic manipulation. Whether their accusations resonate with voters remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the battle for Bihar is heating up, and the Election Commission is firmly in the crosshairs.