Purnia: The Mahagathbandhan’s Voter Rights Yatra, spearheaded by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, roared into motion on Sunday from Khushkibaag in Purnia, setting the stage for a dramatic face-off in Bihar’s pre-election landscape.
The two leaders, astride Royal Enfields and flanked by hundreds of supporters, led a bike rally that wound its way through Chandni Chowk and Araria on the way to Narpatganj. The day’s route was deliberately mapped through Seemanchal’s densely populated areas, where crowds spilled onto the streets to join the campaign and cheer the leaders.
The rally blended street theatrics with political symbolism: Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav’s joint ride was billed as a show of strength for the INDIA bloc and a signal to counter what they describe as “vote theft” under the Election Commission’s voter list revision.
Meanwhile, the ruling NDA has intensified its preparations with its Vidhan Sabha Sammelan, which began on August 23 and will run until September 24. Through a series of programmes spread across different constituencies, the NDA is seeking to energise its cadre and blunt the momentum of the opposition’s road campaign.
With the Yatra drawing large crowds, the Purnia administration moved swiftly to manage traffic. Restrictions were imposed on key routes including Mahendrapur-Chandpur Road and Gunda Chowk-Birpur Road between 6am and 9am. Heavy commercial vehicles were barred from entering central Purnia until noon, and movement on National Highway 131A within district limits was also curtailed during the rally hours.
