New Delhi: The Voter Adhikar Yatra, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav just weeks before the Bihar Assembly elections, proved ineffective electorally with the Mahagathbandhan almost wiped out across its route and the NDA winning big.
Though the Congress repeatedly insisted the campaign was meant to highlight alleged “vote theft” and not to seek electoral gains, political analysts viewed it as an attempt to energise the Opposition ahead of polling. Launched on August 17 from Sasaram, the yatra passed through 25 of Bihar’s 38 districts, spotlighting alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls. However, the results show the NDA dominated across nearly the entire route. The yatra began in Dehri, Sasaram—won by LJP(RV)’s Rajeev Ranjan Singh—and moved through Kutumba and Aurangabad, both of which were won by NDA allies. It then travelled through Wazirganj, Gaya, Nawada and Barbigha, where BJP and JD(U) candidates secured comfortable victories.
The trend continued in Sheikhpura, Jamui and Munger, with JD(U)’s Randhir Kumar Soni, BJP’s Shreyasi Singh and Kumar Pranay winning their respective seats. The BJP also claimed Katihar and Purnia, while JD(U) and the RLM emerged victorious in Supaul and Madhubani. Araria was the lone exception, where Congress defeated JD(U).