Rahul Skips Bihar Voter Adhikar Yatra For INDIA Bloc Vice Presidential Candidate

Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi skipped the resumption of his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar on Thursday, because of his commitments related to the vice-presidential elections in New Delhi. He will join the Yatra later in the evening today after flying back to the state.

The first phase of the Yatra concluded at Barbigha in Sheikhpura district on Tuesday after covering Rohtas, Aurangabad, Gaya, and Nawada districts, with participants taking a break on Wednesday.

The second phase of the yatra started this morning as planned from Sheikhpura with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and the state leadership of the Congress participating in it. CPIML general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya is also expected to join.

“The yatra will continue as planned on August 21 with the participation of Tejashwi ji and the state leadership in the morning. Rahul Gandhi ji will join it from the evening starting point as he has an important commitment in Delhi related to the vice-presidential elections,” a statement from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) said.

Congress leaders said that Gandhi would attend the filing of nomination by the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) vice-presidential candidate, former Supreme Court judge Sudershan Reddy. The election is scheduled for September 9.

In the second phase, the participants will go through Sheikhpura and cross over to the adjoining Lakhisarai district and halt for lunch and an afternoon break.

They will then move ahead again in the afternoon to the neighbouring Jamui district and roll ahead to enter Munger district in the evening, where Gandhi is expected to catch up with it, and stop for the night at Safiabad there.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will join the march at Sitamarhi on August 28, during the third and final phase.

“This yatra, led by the leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Bihar’s former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and senior leaders of INDIA, will be further strengthened by Akhilesh’s participation in our public movement against vote theft,” Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member K.C. Venugopal said.

The 16-day, 1300km yatra, launched by Gandhi against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, started from Sasaram on Sunday (August 17). It will traverse more than 20 districts, touching around 118 Assembly constituencies in the poll-bound state, to end in Patna on September 1 with a public rally.

The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' is opposing the deletion of over 65 lakh voters in the SIR draft electoral roll published on August 1 and is aiming to make the common people aware of their franchise rights. It is also showcasing the unity of INDIA, and campaigning for the forthcoming Assembly elections, expected to be held in November this year.

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2. 'Modi, Shah, BJP, EC Partners In Stealing Votes': Rahul Gandhi Ups The Ante During Bihar 'Voter Adhikar Yatra'