Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a fierce attack on the Election Commission during his visit to Patna on July 9, accusing it of acting in favor of the BJP and manipulating electoral processes. He was in the city to participate in the Bihar Bandh called by the Mahagathbandhan against the ongoing voter list revision in the state.

During the protest, Rahul Gandhi, along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, attempted to lead a march on a truck toward the Election Commission office. However, security concerns forced authorities to halt the rally midway. Speaking at the protest site, Rahul made strong allegations, saying, “Elections were stolen in Maharashtra, and now the same is being planned in Bihar.”

Rahul referred to the voter list revision as a ploy to rob the poor of their voting rights. He claimed that the number of voters had been manipulated in Maharashtra and Haryana after the Lok Sabha elections. “After the general elections, 1 crore new voters were added during the Maharashtra assembly polls. Ten percent more people voted. Coincidentally, the BJP won in precisely those areas where the voter count increased,” he said.

He accused the Election Commission of deliberately withholding the voter list. “We asked for it multiple times, but till now, the voter list of Maharashtra has not been shared with us. The Election Commission wants to hide the truth,” he alleged.

Rahul told the gathering, “Just like votes were stolen in Maharashtra, the same kind of attempt is being made in Bihar. But this is Bihar — the people here won’t allow such theft.” He stressed that tampering with electoral rolls is not just about votes, but also about robbing the people of their future, employment, and rights.

Targeting the Election Commission further, Rahul said, “Our leaders met the Election Commissioner. They came back and told me that he talks exactly like the BJP and RSS. Earlier, Election Commissioners were appointed with consensus. Now, the BJP does it alone.”

He ended his address with a sharp warning, saying, “We will not allow any irregularities in Bihar. This is a fight to protect democracy and the rights of the poor.”