PATNA, Nov. 8 -- INDIA bloc leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday addressed several rallies, where they slammed the NDA governments both in Bihar and the Centre for ignoring Bihar's unemployment issue, migration and alleged how the BJP was engaged in 'vote theft' to manipulate elections in Haryana and also trying the same in Bihar. In back-to-back rallies in Bhagalpur and Banka districts on Friday, ahead of the second phase of polls on November 11, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi painted a vivid picture of a state betrayed by systemic corruption, where Bihar had been reduced to "India's labourer" under the watch of PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah and CM Nitish Kumar. In his speeches at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur, Gandhi unleashed a barrage of allegations, starting with what he called a nationwide 'vote theft' scam orchestrated by Modi and Shah. "Modi and Shah have been 'stealing votes' for many years," he declared, asserting that the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission of India, manipulated electoral rolls to rig outcomes. Citing the recent Haryana assembly polls as evidence, Gandhi claimed 2.5 million fake entries-including bizarre anomalies like a Brazilian model's photo used for multiple votes-ensured a "stolen government." He warned that similar tactics were underway in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, urging the state's Gen Z voters to vigilantly check voter lists for deletions of opposition supporters and additions of bogus names. "We have concrete data now; earlier, proofs were lacking, but no more," Gandhi emphasised, vowing to expose how Modi ascended to power through such electoral fraud. INDIA's bloc CM face and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, addressing over 15 rallies in the day mainly in bordering Purnea, Aaria, Katihar as well as in Bhagalpur and Banka, promised Rs.30,000 would be deposited in the accounts of women to be covered under proposed Mai Behan Maan yojana on Makar Sankranti day (January 14) next year as a one time payment of Rs.2,500 monthly payment, if his government came to power. "Are you all ready for jobs? Then change the government," Yadav reiterated in his speeches promising that every household in the state would get government jobs, if they didn't have one. "We will ensure people of Bihar do not have to go to other states for work and get employment here in their home state. We will provide a government which would work for all sections of people," Yadav said. The RJD leader also promised that INDIA bloc government would enhance the pension for widows, old age citizens to Rs.1,500 per month and increase the monthly salary of Jeevika didis to Rs.30,000, besides making their service permanent. The rallies built on the momentum from Phase 1 polling on November 6, which saw a robust 65 per cent turnout is being interpreted by the opposition as a rejection of NDA's governance. In a parallel push, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed election meetings in Chenari (Rohtas district) and Gaya, decrying the NDA's 20-year 'misrule' characterised by rampant unemployment, forced migration, floods and 'goonda raj' (hooliganism). Kharge unveiled the Mahagathbandhan's comprehensive manifesto, positioning it as a blueprint for transformative change. Key pledges include guaranteeing one government job per family within 20 months, Rs.2,500 monthly aid for women (Rs.30,000 annually), permanent status for contractual workers, restoration of the old pension scheme, 200 units of free electricity, waiver of exam fees with free travel for youth, legal MSP for crops, up to Rs.25 lakh free health insurance, increased reservations beyond 50 per cent, and a Rs.300 daily MGNREGA wage. "This is not just a manifesto; it's our vow to create a migration-free Bihar where dreams are realised locally," Kharge asserted. Kharge didn't mince words in attacking Modi and Nitish, accusing them of hypocrisy in recent Rs.10,000 handouts to women as mere 'vote-buying' tactics. "Modi promised Rs.15 lakh in every account, 2 crore jobs annually, MSP guarantees, and homes for the poor-yet delivered nothing but lies upon lies," he said. Flipping the BJP's narrative, Kharge called them 'the real thieves' who betrayed allies, drawing parallels to their manoeuvers in Maharashtra. Invoking historical legacies, he contrasted Jawaharlal Nehru's contributions-like establishing HMT and BHEL-with the BJP's alleged reliance on RSS ideology. "Nehru ji gave the country industrial giants like HMT and BHEL, but the BJP has only built an army of RSS cadres to run the nation on divisive principles of Manusmriti," Kharge charged. Adding a forward-looking critique, he stated, "The BJP wants to drag India back in time with regressive policies, but Congress and the INDIA bloc will propel the nation forward with inclusive progress and social justice for all." Senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla, in a separate Patna press conference, celebrated Phase 1's high turnout as a harbinger of change, predicting defeats for 12 NDA ministers, including deputies. "The people have pressed the button, and the throne is trembling," he said, accusing the BJP of sidelining Nitish and peddling unfulfilled promises like 2 crore jobs and affordable fuel. Shukla highlighted historical voting patterns where high turnouts signal regime shifts, urging Bihar's electorate to embrace the Mahagathbandhan's vision of honesty, development, and accountability. As campaigning peaks before the November 9 deadline, with 122 seats at stake on November 11 and results on November 14, the opposition's narrative resonates among Bihar's 7.43 crore voters, particularly the rural poor, Dalits, OBCs and minorities. The Mahagathbandhan frames the polls as a battle against 20 years of neglect, promising "justice for the 90%." Meanwhile, the NDA counters with claims of stability and development, dismissing accusations as opposition desperation. With tensions escalating, Bihar's electoral landscape promises a dramatic showdown, where voter vigilance could tip the scales against alleged manipulations and favouritism....