With Bihar Assembly elections on the horizon, the political landscape is heating up—this time over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. Leading the charge are two familiar faces: Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav. Set to take to the streets of Patna on Wednesday, the duo aims to disrupt traffic and amplify their campaign against what they call an attack on voting rights.
Rahul-Tejashwi’s Show of Strength
While the formal election dates haven’t been declared, the opposition has already begun shaping the narrative. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has called for a statewide Bihar bandh on July 9, with full support from the INDIA bloc. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also expected to join the protest in person, making it a high-voltage political showdown.
Tejashwi said, “We will block roads for the rights of the poor. This is a fight against efforts to snatch away voting rights. Rahul Gandhi and I will be out on the streets together.”
Opposition Targets the Election Commission
At the heart of the protest is the EC’s SIR order, requiring around 8 crore voters in Bihar to resubmit documents to prove their citizenship and eligibility—birth certificates, school records, or government IDs dated before July 1, 1987.
The opposition claims this will disproportionately affect Dalits, OBCs, Muslims, and the poor. RJD and Congress accuse the EC of working at the behest of the BJP. The RJD has already moved the Supreme Court, while Congress and Left parties have joined hands for a mass movement. MP Manoj Jha called it a “systematic disenfranchisement plan.”
A Political Gamble to Oust Nitish
The Rahul-Tejashwi alliance is trying to reverse RJD’s 20-year exile from power. Their message? The Nitish Kumar-led NDA has failed Bihar on every front—unemployment, law and order, and now democracy itself.
They’re also leveraging public anger over recent crimes. In Patna alone, 115 murders have been reported in the past four months. The killing of businessman Gopal Khemka further intensified the “Jungle Raj” narrative. Even NDA ally Chirag Paswan has started questioning Nitish’s leadership.
Rahul + Tejashwi vs. Modi + Nitish
As the NDA banks on the star power of PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar, the INDIA bloc counters with the aggressive pairing of Rahul and Tejashwi. Modi remains the most visible face of NDA’s campaign, with regular visits to Bihar and announcements of development projects. But the opposition hopes to create a counter-wave with a narrative of social justice and democratic rights.
Tejashwi has already proven his political mettle in the 2020 elections, giving Nitish a tough fight almost single-handedly. Congress’s weak performance cost the alliance that year, but this time Rahul Gandhi is more visible and active in the state, especially on issues of caste, social equity, and electoral fairness.
Will 'The Two Boys' Click in 2025?
The political chemistry between Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav is being closely watched. While NDA is betting on experience and governance, the opposition is selling youth and justice. Whether this new-age duo can actually topple Nitish Kumar in 2025 remains the biggest question in Bihar politics right now.
