PATNA/NAWADA, Aug. 20 -- Continuing his tirade against the Election Commission of India (ECI), leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday presented a man on the stage at a public meeting in Nawada on Tuesday, whose name has been allegedly deleted from the electoral roll prepared under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Congress leader introduced one, Subodh Kumar, on the 3rd day of the Voter Adhikar Yatra, which reached Nawada, apparently to put the ECI under the dock and to reinforce his contention for manipulation in the electoral rolls being prepared in Bihar under SIR. A farmer from Maharath village of Kasichak block, Subodh Kumar said, "I voted in the Lok Sabha elections and even served as a polling agent." Gandhi amplified the outrage amidst the roaring crowd: "Lakhs like him in Bihar had their names on the list-now poof, gone!" The 16-day, 1,300-km crusade, led by Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, seeks to highlight what they allege are the Election Commission of India (ECI) and BJP's "nefarious designs" to manipulate votes. "There's a shady partnership between the BJP and ECI - they're robbing votes hand in glove!" thundered Gandhi, as the crowd erupted in agreement. "Your Constitution-given right is being snatched by Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and the election commissioners. We won't let them steal even a single Bihar vote!" Mounting the attack, Gandhi pointed fingers at poll rigging in Maharashtra, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh: "In Maharashtra, one crore 'ghost' voters magically appear post-Lok Sabha - we win, then BJP sweeps! We demand answers from ECI - who are these phantoms? Show the videography! But they dodge and tweak laws. Now Bihar's SIR is their new vote-vanish trick - we're calling it out!" Urging people to be cautious of the ECI design, Gandhi said: "You will lose your ration card tomorrow if you lose your voter card today. Next, your land will be given away to Adani-Ambani! This isn't a billionaire playground-it's for farmers, workers, small business owners and youth!" He blasted GST, demonetisation, and "crooked laws" as elite favours that crush the masses: "You toil 24x7, pay through the nose, but get zero jobs. Time to flip the script - that's why this yatra exploding with support, rain or shine, lakhs strong!" RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav urged Bihar's youth to overthrow the "old and rickety" NDA government led by Nitish Kumar, paving the way for a fresh era where the young take the reins, as he painted a bold vision for the state, declaring that the time has come for generational change. "The Nitish Kumar-led government has become 'khattara' (rickety) and it needs to be urgently replaced. The young should now get a chance. We have a vision for Bihar," Yadav proclaimed to a cheering crowd. He stressed that the youth have made up their minds: "They will remove from power this old and rickety government, and ensure that Rahul Gandhi is the PM after the next Lok Sabha polls." Yadav's address was part of the ongoing 16-day Yatra, co-led with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, aimed at safeguarding electoral rights amid allegations of voter suppression. He didn't mince words on the controversial special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, labelling it a blatant "dacoity of votes." "The SIR is dacoity of votes and we will not allow that to happen. It's a conspiracy of the ruling dispensation to disenfranchise voters in Bihar," he alleged, echoing the yatra's core theme of protecting democracy from manipulation. The rally, held amid enthusiastic supporters waving flags and chanting slogans, highlighted the INDIA bloc's strategy to mobilize young voters ahead of the 2025 Bihar assembly elections and beyond. Yadav's remarks underscore the opposition's push for youth empowerment, contrasting it with what they see as an outdated NDA regime failing to deliver jobs and opportunities. As the yatra gains momentum, traversing districts like Nawada with stops at key chowks, it continues to spotlight electoral integrity issues. With Rahul Gandhi joining forces, the duo is framing the fight as one for Bihar's future - youth-driven, inclusive, and free from alleged vote theft. The event drew thousands, braving the elements, signalling growing discontent with the status quo. The day's journey started off at Rasulpur village in Gaya, where Gandhi camped overnight at a school. The convoy entered Nawada via Tungi, hitting hotspots like Manjhwe, Baijnathpur Gumti, Hisua Bazaar and the bus stand. At every turn, Gandhi and Yadav fired up crowds on "vote theft," met with flower showers, flag waves, and chants like "Rahul Gandhi Zindabad!" and "No More Vote Chori!" A spiritual pitstop at Wazirganj's Hanuman Temple saw Gandhi praying, striking a chord with locals. The rally stormed through Hisua, Warisaliganj of Gaya and Nawada's buzzing chowks-Sadbhavna, Lal, Prjatantra and Bhagat Singh. Warisaliganj's Patel Chowk mega-meet had the duo vowing to shield constitutional rights. Wrapping in Barbigha via Sherpur, Sarkatti, and Shahpur, the yatra left trails of energized supporters. Congress media department head Pawan Khera dropped truth bombs in a media conference: "This is democracy's epic standoff! BJP's SIR plot targets Dalits, OBCs, tribals, minorities-turning EC into their puppet under the double-engine regime." Backed by a Supreme Court nod, he rallied: "Join the fight-don't let them hijack your vote!" Citing huge response to the yatra from the public, social analysts say that the campaign may turn out to be a secret weapon for INDIA bloc constituents to turn next assembly polls in their favour. The yatra will traverse through Munger, Katihar and Purnea in the next few days to muster people's support for what Mahagathbandhan leaders call, 'electoral justice'....