Tejashwi’s Rahul Gandhi PM Pitch Stirs INDIA Bloc Tensions

The Voter Adhikar Yatra, a 16-day, 1,300-km campaign led by the INDIA bloc to protest alleged voter roll irregularities in Bihar, resumed in Sheikhpura district on Thursday after a day-long break. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, addressing supporters alongside CPI(ML) Liberation’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar, and Vikassheel Insan Party chief Mukesh Sahni, announced that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would rejoin the yatra in the afternoon after attending to vice-presidential election matters in Delhi. The campaign, launched on August 17 in Sasaram, aims to protect the principle of “one person, one vote” ahead of Bihar’s Assembly elections later this year.

Tejashwi, the INDIA bloc’s de facto chief ministerial candidate for Bihar, reiterated allegations of “vote theft” through the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, accusing the BJP and the Nitish Kumar-led government of disenfranchising voters. “The SIR is a dacoity of votes, and we won’t allow it,” he declared, leading crowds in chanting “Vote chor, gaddi chhod” (vote thief, leave the seat). He criticized the state government for “lacking vision” and copying his promises, including free electricity, enhanced pensions, and a Youth Commission, while presenting them as original initiatives.

However, Tejashwi’s vocal support for Rahul Gandhi as the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate for 2029 has sparked tensions within the opposition alliance. Speaking at a Nawada rally, Tejashwi called Rahul his “bade bhai” (elder brother) and vowed to work toward making him Prime Minister, a statement that has irked key allies. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, who reluctantly backed the opposition’s vice-presidential candidate, former ISRO scientist Sudershan Reddy, after a request from Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, distanced himself from the INDIA bloc, emphasizing his support was for an opposition candidate, not the alliance.

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Trinamool Congress, another key player, has also expressed reservations. Sources indicate that Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool’s Lok Sabha leader, found Tejashwi’s PM announcement premature, especially with pressing issues like the Bihar voter roll controversy and Jammu and Kashmir statehood demanding attention. Despite Abhishek’s growing rapport with Rahul—they recently shared a cordial meeting—Trinamool considers itself outside the INDIA bloc, particularly due to Congress’s alliance with the CPI(M) in Bengal, a sticking point for Mamata Banerjee.

The yatra, covering 23 districts including Nalanda, Bhagalpur, and Darbhanga, has become a flashpoint for both electoral justice and opposition dynamics. While Tejashwi and Rahul project unity, with images of Tejashwi driving Rahul in a jeep gaining traction, dissent from allies like AAP and Trinamool highlights the fragile nature of the INDIA bloc. BJP leaders, including Gaurav Vallabh, dismissed Tejashwi’s PM pitch as “daydreaming,” accusing both leaders of dynastic politics. As the yatra heads toward its September 1 finale in Patna, the opposition’s unity push faces challenges from within, even as it rallies against alleged electoral malpractices.

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