Is FairPoint Rahul Gandhi's atom bomb or a damp squib? Bihar will decide

New Delhi, Aug 17 (NationPress) When Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi opted out of the early morning Independence Day celebrations at the renowned Red Fort, he was aware of the impending backlash. Nevertheless, he decided to abstain -- possibly as a form of protest.

This choice seems to be part of his newly adopted strategy of 'vote chori' (vote theft), aimed at criticizing the democratically elected NDA government at the Centre. He and his backers have hinted that it was 'vote chori' that enabled the NDA to secure a third term; otherwise, he would have assumed the top position.

While this might seem like fanciful thinking, the Congress-led Opposition has embraced this concept to steer its campaign in Bihar before taking it nationwide. Rahul Gandhi, alongside RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, has rolled out a strategy to topple the Nitish-led NDA government in the state by leveraging this narrative.

Gandhi, who presided over the Congress from December 2017 to July 2019—a period marked by the party's poorest performance—now perceives a chance in the allegations of vote theft.

During his August 7 press conference in Delhi, Gandhi specifically targeted PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, while also criticizing the Election Commission of India (ECI).

He stated: "...And let’s not forget that the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of India with a very slender majority—25 seats. 33,000 votes were the winning margin…"

His primary aim seemed to be to undermine the legitimacy of the Modi government's electoral victory. He accused the ECI of colluding with the BJP and aiding in the dismantling of the electoral system in India.

However, if elections can indeed be manipulated, as Gandhi suggests, why couldn’t the BJP achieve an absolute majority independently, instead of relying on Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP?

There’s no denying that irregularities exist in voter rolls, which must be rectified. The ECI must enhance its systems swiftly and efficiently. On August 14, a group of seven individuals from Bihar met Gandhi at his Delhi residence, claiming they had been wrongly declared "dead" by the Election Commission. Their names, they asserted, had been removed from the draft electoral rolls published on August 1, as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Whether true or not, the ECI will need to investigate this.

The SIR case is currently in the Supreme Court, where the ECI has agreed to disclose the names of voters removed in Bihar. This could potentially resolve many allegations.

While Rahul Gandhi is correct in highlighting issues with voter lists, suggesting that the ECI manipulates election results is an assertion that stretches believability.

Nonetheless, Gandhi insists that electoral outcomes are influenced, claiming to possess an "atom bomb" of evidence that will unseat the government and grant him the "rightful" mandate to become Prime Minister. Bihar will serve as the testing ground for his vote chori narrative.

His Vote Adhikar Yatra aims to spotlight alleged violations of citizens' voting rights through the SIR process. The yatra will traverse 20 districts, culminating in a rally in Patna on September 1, with breaks on August 20, 25, and 31.

Rahul Gandhi seems committed to making this a matter of prestige. Should he generate sufficient momentum in Bihar, this campaign could be replicated in other states, fostering a larger movement against the Centre and discrediting the NDA's victory. His decision to forgo the Red Fort event may be seen as a preliminary step in that direction.

Unsurprisingly, the BJP seized upon this issue. Party leader Amit Malviya noted that during the Congress HQ event, Gandhi appeared "visibly disoriented," questioning, "The nation deserves to know—Is he well?"

His absence from the Independence Day event has also faced scrutiny, particularly after the Supreme Court admonished him previously, stating, "If you are a true Indian, you wouldn’t say such a thing," in response to his remarks about Chinese encroachment during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Now, Gandhi's allegations of vote theft face their ultimate challenge in Bihar. The electorate will determine the veracity. However, a broader question persists: what if he suffers another defeat—or what if he prevails? Regardless, the Bihar elections will prove pivotal.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)