Patna: The Bihar bandh called by the Mahagathbandhan alliance against the ongoing voter list revision witnessed widespread disruption across the state, as senior opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav took to the streets in protest.
The bandh, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and other allied parties such as the Left, the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), and the Jan Adhikar Party, brought rail and road traffic to a standstill in several districts. Supporters of the RJD reportedly halted the Namo-Bharat train in Darbhanga, while in Hajipur, demonstrators blocked the Gandhi Setu bridge. Protests were also seen in Patna, Purnia, Jehanabad, and Danapur, with incidents of arson and road blockades, including the obstruction of NH-30 in Maner and the Patna-Gaya railway line in Jehanabad.
Rahul Gandhi, who arrived in Patna from Delhi, joined Tejashwi Yadav and other opposition leaders in what was described as a united front against the Election Commission’s special voter revision drive. The Mahagathbandhan alleges the process could disenfranchise large sections of the population.
Speaking to the media, Bihar Congress President Rajesh Ram framed the protest as a battle to safeguard democratic rights. “The chakka jam is being held on two critical issues — to protect the right to vote and to oppose the arbitrary process being carried out by the Election Commission,” he said. “Whenever the country has faced a crisis, Rahul Gandhi has fought on the streets. Today, voting rights are at stake, and we are out here fighting for them.”
He also criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, stating, “It is easy to take decisions from Delhi, but the ground reality is different. If these revisions were necessary, why not carry them out before the Lok Sabha elections?”
However, the protest drew sharp criticism from the ruling Janata Dal (United) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan defended the voter list revision, stating that the process was transparent and that voter forms for four crore individuals had been duly submitted. “The opposition knows it is losing ground in Bihar,” he said. “Their frustration is driving them to oppose every decision made by the Election Commission.”
BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur echoed the sentiment, claiming the bandh was an attempt to mislead voters. “They are seeing defeat in the upcoming elections. This bandh has no support from the public — it’s just a few miscreants creating chaos,” he said.
Meanwhile, NSUI national in-charge Kanhaiya Kumar lent his support to the protest, saying, “We have come out on the streets to protect democracy. When roads fall silent, Parliament loses its direction — that is why public resistance is necessary.”
Despite the disruptions, authorities maintained that law and order was under control and warned that appropriate legal action would be taken against those involved in violence or vandalism.
