Rahul, Tejashwi lead motorcycle convoy during 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Araria

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav took to motorcycles on Sunday as their ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ wound its way through the streets of Araria in Bihar’s Purnea district, drawing large crowds along the route.

With Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar riding pillion behind Gandhi, the motorcycle convoy was an ocean of saffron, white and green as the Indian national flag and Congress and RJD party flags fluttered in the hands of hundreds of fellow bikers and bystanders.

The 1,300-km campaign march, which began on 17 August from Sasaram, will pass through more than 20 districts over a 16-day period before culminating in a rally in Patna on 1 September.

Intended as a protest movement — against the deletion of 65 lakh voters from Bihar's electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India and other alleged electoral malpractices or vote chori (theft) as Gandhi calls it — the yatra has become a visible show of strength for the Opposition INDIA bloc, drawing supporters eager to signal their backing, roaring the chant of 'vote chor, gaddi chhor (step down, vote thief)', often led by Gandhi.

आपके अधिकार की यात्रा
वोटर अधिकार यात्रा 🇮🇳

📍 बिहार pic.twitter.com/DsaxJQ5co7

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 24, 2025

As the yatra entered Araria, residents lined the roads to watch the two leaders ride in convoy. Later in the day, they were scheduled to hold a joint press conference alongside other INDIA bloc representatives.

Speaking at a rally in Katihar district on Saturday evening, Gandhi criticised what he described as “attempts to steal votes” in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. He accused the BJP of having “shut the doors of opportunities” for the poor since coming to power at the Centre.

“The BJP and the RSS believe that Dalits must not be emancipated, the extremely backward classes must not be allowed to move up the social ladder and women should not be given more freedom; and so they are hell bent upon destroying the Constitution,” he told the gathering.

वोटर अधिकार यात्रा

📍 कटिहार, बिहार pic.twitter.com/IlXgpeiNPF

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 23, 2025

For Gandhi, the yatra has also been about building a by now trademark personal connection with communities along the route. He has been seen stopping to interact with daily wage earners, farmers, women self-help groups and students, often listening more than speaking. Such unscripted exchanges have given the campaign a grassroots flavour, reinforcing his image as a politician willing to step down from the stage and share space with ordinary people.

In villages where the march has paused, families have invited him into their homes, with Gandhi photographed sharing tea or meals and discussing local concerns ranging from employment to rising prices. These encounters, amplified on social media, have added a layer of human touch to the yatra, allowing it to transcend party politics and instead highlight the lived experiences of those who stand to be most affected by electoral outcomes in Bihar.

SIR के जरिए वोटों की चोरी हो रही है।

बिहार की धरती पर नरेंद्र मोदी और चुनाव आयोग वोट चोरी करना चाहते हैं, लेकिन हम ये नहीं होने देंगे।

NDA का मतलब ही है- Nahi Denge Adhikar

इसलिए हमें इन वोट चोरों को सत्ता से बेदखल करना है।

: 'वोटर अधिकार यात्रा' में बिहार के पूर्व… pic.twitter.com/UfXXk0Ee5g

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 23, 2025

Beyond the rhetoric, the Voter Adhikar Yatra has become a significant political exercise in its own right, to the extent of projecting Yadav as the next chief minister of Bihar and Gandhi as the next prime minister of India. By travelling district to district, Gandhi and Yadav are directly engaging rural communities that often feel overlooked in national debates.

The journey has also sharpened attention on electoral rights, social justice and economic opportunities in Bihar, themes that resonate strongly with younger voters and marginalised groups. Political observers note that the mobilisation could help reinvigorate the Opposition’s base, while keeping voter suppression and accountability at the centre of the election discourse.

With PTI inputs