RAHUL IN BIHAR FROM 17TH AUGUST ON 15 DAYS YATRA AGAINST SIR
NEW DELHI: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming Bihar visit has triggered unease in the ruling BJP–JDU camp. Scheduled to begin on August 17, the tour comes at a politically sensitive time, as the monsoon session of Parliament will continue until August 21. Despite the ongoing session, sources say Gandhi will not take any break from his political outreach programme, signalling the urgency and seriousness of his campaign.
During the Bihar leg of his outreach, Gandhi is likely to be joined by Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. The two leaders are expected to address multiple public meetings, focusing on issues that the Opposition’s INDIA bloc believes have been side lined by the ruling establishment.
One of the core themes expected to dominate Gandhi’s speeches is the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which Opposition parties allege has been manipulated to benefit the BJP. In Bihar, the issue has emerged as a flashpoint, with INDIA bloc leaders charging that large-scale irregularities have compromised the integrity of the voters’ list.
The Bihar tour is seen not only as a state-level political push but also as part of a broader strategy to build momentum for a nationwide agitation. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has convened a meeting of all Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents and party general secretaries to prepare an action plan. The agenda includes coordinating with alliance partners, mobilising grassroots workers, and finalising a programme for mass protests and public outreach across the country.
Party sources indicate that the Congress leadership intends to frame the electoral roll controversy as part of a larger narrative on “systematic electoral fraud” aimed at undermining democracy. The recent revelations, presented by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament and through media briefings, are expected to be a focal point of this campaign. Gandhi has alleged that these irregularities represent a deliberate attempt to skew election results in favour of the ruling party.
The Bihar visit will culminate in a mega public meeting where Gandhi is expected to deliver a sharp attack on the Modi government, tying together local grievances with national concerns. Observers say the tour could serve as a launching pad for the Congress and its allies to transition from raising issues within Parliament to mobilising mass protests on the ground.
With the political temperature rising, all eyes will be on Bihar from August 17, as the Opposition tests its ability to transform allegations of electoral malpractice into a sustained, nationwide movement against the BJP-led government.
[Writer is a Senior Journalist and Political Commentator]
