The Bihar Assembly elections are approaching. Early polls indicate that the NDA is in a favorable position, yet the coalition of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, and the Left parties should not be underestimated. This is just the beginning, and political dynamics can shift at any moment. In this scenario, the significance of Rahul Gandhi's 1,300-kilometer march, covering 20 districts, becomes clear. In a sense, this is not unusual for him, as he seems to be a constant traveler.
Gandhi's journey politics, if that term is used, began in 2022 when he embarked on the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. This nearly four thousand-kilometer padayatra touched 12 states and two union territories. It began in September and concluded on January 30, 2023. Its objective was to connect directly with the people, gain political center stage, and establish his relevance. It can easily be called a mass movement and an attempt to understand the sufferings of the youth.
Rahul Gandhi had said at the time, "I start my journey at 6 a.m. and walk 25 kilometers every day." Many people joined him on this campaign, becoming supporters of his "Unite India" message. Critics may have ridiculed him, but this journey transformed his image from "Pappu" to a mature leader. His statement, "I have come to open a shop of love in the market of hatred," resonated with people struggling with communal divisions. Rahul Gandhi's second journey, "Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," began almost two years later. It began in Manipur and ended in Mumbai. During this three-month journey, Gandhi walked through 15 states. This time, he added a new word to "Bharat Jodo," meaning "justice." Its purpose was to highlight issues such as farmers' suffering, unemployment, corruption, and inequality.
The third journey, "Vote Adhikar Yatra," emphasized the fundamental right of the people to vote. He raised the issue of vote theft, alleging that the ruling party had colluded with the Election Commission of India to steal votes. The opposition claims that due to the Special Intensive Review (SIR) conducted in Bihar, lakhs of people were deprived of voting.
The names of living people were listed as dead in voter lists, and many such irregularities were revealed. Beyond the technical aspects and statistics, what proved effective was this politics of vote theft. This isn't just about Gandhi or the tour, but about a class that has been consistently marginalized by those in power. This public relations proved to be his greatest strength. The slogan "Vote thieves leave the throne" also resonated with the people. At a recent rally in Patna, Rahul Gandhi told the youth, "Vote theft means theft of rights," theft of employment, theft of education, theft of democracy, and theft of the youth's future. They will snatch your land and ration and give it to Adani and Ambani. The crowd at the rally gave him strong support.
According to reports, the dual issues of vote theft and Ambani-Adani are gaining traction among Bihar voters. This controversy also has a caste aspect. The opposition alleges that the deletions in voter lists are aimed at weakening the power of Yadavs, Muslims, Dalits, and backward castes. The fact is that these castes are considered the strong social base of the RJD, the Left parties, and the Congress. Back in 2024, the All India Alliance also made caste an election issue, saying that if the BJP came to power, it would "tear apart" the Constitution—the same Constitution that granted rights to many communities, including Dalits and backward classes.
Equally powerful is the politics of vote-stealing. If used judiciously, it can seriously damage the ruling party's prospects. Just as the slogan "Save the Constitution" proved effective in 2024. At that time, Rahul Gandhi traveled across the country carrying a pocket copy of the Constitution and waving it at election rallies while delivering speeches. The subsequent results saw the BJP lose its majority, while the All India Alliance performed unexpectedly, winning 234 seats, restricting the BJP to 240.
It remains to be seen whether the vote-stealing campaign will yield electoral gains for the opposition. While this remains uncertain, it is certain that the BJP is uneasy. This has led to its intensified attacks. A Union Minister compared the Congress to the evil King Kansa of the Mahabharata, while a BJP MP described Gandhi's entire story as based on lies. Add to this Prime Minister Modi's attempt to garner sympathy in the name of his mother. Nevertheless, this Rahul Yatra has conveyed some important messages: a glimpse of opposition unity similar to the 2024 elections, new energy at the grassroots level, the resurgence of the Congress organization, and most importantly, Gandhi's emergence as a major challenger to the BJP and its style of governance.
The visuals were also remarkable: huge cutouts of Rahul Gandhi, a shower of flowers, huge crowds of men and women, farmers filled with hope for change, and the Congress, which had been marginalized in Bihar politics nearly 35 years ago, is now back on the scene. On all these counts, the Rahul Yatra can be called a success. However, the real test will be the results of the upcoming Bihar elections. Indian elections have repeatedly shown that crowd gatherings do not always translate into votes.