ARA, Aug. 31 -- On the final leg of the Opposition's Voter Adhikar Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that the rally would metamorphose into the country-wide "movement" against "stealing of votes". Addressing a public rally in Ara, the district headquarters of Bhojpur, Gandhi criticised the central government for the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, claiming that the exercise was an "attack on the Constitution and the democratic system of the country". He accused the BJP, the RSS and the Election Commission of indulging in "vote chori" (stealing of votes) in the country.s "The NDA government succeeded in stealing votes in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. But we will not allow the BJP and the EC to steal even a single vote in Bihar," Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, claimed. In a striking moment during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar's Ara town on Saturday, Gandhi faced a group of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists near Ramna Maidan. Clad in black and waving black flags, they protested alleged derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi and his late mother from a campaign event in Darbhanga. The protesters, chanting pro-Modi slogans and demanding an apology, were stunned when Gandhi's vehicle halted near them. With calm composure, he beckoned one activist closer, engaged briefly and offered candies before departing with a flying kiss - a gesture that went viral, underscoring his commitment to civility amid political heat. The incident unfolded during Gandhi's 16-day, 1,300-km Voter Adhikar Yatra, launched on August 17 from Sasaram, spotlighting alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) via the Election Commission of India's (ECI) revision of electoral rolls, entered Ara via Siwan and Saran. Covering over 25 districts and 120 assembly constituencies, the Yatra targeted voter suppression against marginalised groups ahead of Bihar's elections, evolving into a beacon of INDIA bloc unity. Addressing the gathering at Veer Kunwar Singh stadium in Ara, Gandhi lambasted the BJP and ECI for undermining the Constitution through electoral manipulations. He described vote theft as not just a democratic infringement but a robbery of citizens' rights and future. "The revolution started from Bihar with this Voter Adhikar Yatra, and it will now spread across the entire country," he declared, energised by the overwhelming public support. Gandhi accused the BJP of stealing votes in the Lok Sabha elections, as well as in Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls, vowing that the INDIA bloc would prevent even a single vote from being tampered with in Bihar. He further criticised the Narendra Modi government as one beholden to industrialists Adani and Ambani, claiming it seeks to silence the poor by privatising public sectors and introducing schemes like Agniveer that deprive youth of opportunities. "This government wants the voices of the depressed and poor to be suppressed, but the INDIA alliance will ensure they echo nationwide," Gandhi asserted, thanking the youth for rising to protect the Constitution. The campaign showcased striking cohesiveness and mutual support among constituents nationwide, with diverse leaders rallying against BJP-JD(U) dominance, mobilising Yadavs, Muslims, EBCs, SCs, and STs through shared anti-BJP rhetoric and joint mobilisation. Senior leaders participated at different phases of the campaign, underscoring cross-state solidarity. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, Karnataka CM Siddharamaiah, Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed the crowds during the campaign. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren is slated for the procession in Patna on September 1 - from Gandhi Maidan to Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Statue. Akhilesh echoed anti-ECI barbs, calling it the "Jugaad Commission" and urging BJP ouster. He also took a veiled dig at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had recently claimed that the people of India have had "the same DNA for 40,000 years", saying that their fight for social justice is not 5,000 years old, but it dates back to 40,000 years tongue in cheek. In an apparent bid to get people's backing for his hankering for the Opposition's leadership, Tejashwi Yadav, the former Bihar deputy chief minister, posed a rhetorical question to the crowd: "Do you want an original CM or a duplicate one?" He also dubbed present CM Nitish Kumar a copycat and warned of "Gujaratis" attempting to steal Bihar's votes, referring to Modi and others, He also called PM Modi an "alleged liar." Tejashwi stressed inclusive development, saying, "We have to make Bihar take everyone along." Despite the enthusiasm, the event faced some hiccups. Reports of mismanagement surfaced, with activists attempting to breach the VIP area, leading to chaos. Chairs in the VIP section bore names of NDA leaders like Union minister Nityanand Rai and Bihar minister Nitin Nabin, raising eyebrows about organisational oversights. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal praised the yatra's impact in a post on X, noting its coverage of 25 districts and the participation of leaders from across India, including chief ministers from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, as well as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra last week. "This yatra has been a milestone in Bihar's history of people's movements, comforting fears amid the blatant destruction of democracy via SIR," he wrote. Despite the show of solidarity among the INDIA bloc leaders, internal frictions surfaced: a section of RJD leaders expressed disappointment over Rahul Gandhi's reluctance to declare Tejashwi Yadav as the Opposition bloc's CM face, viewing it as hesitation amid power-sharing dynamics, potentially straining alliances. The Yatra stirred controversy in Darbhanga, where Congress workers' abusive language against Modi and his mother in the absence of Gandhi sparked BJP outrage, protests and a clash at Sadaqat Ashram involving stone-pelting and injuries, with police intervening. Gandhi responded: "Falsehood and violence bow to truth and non-violence." As Bihar elections loom, the Yatra has revitalised Opposition morale, spotlighting irregularities and positioning the bloc - focused on truth, non-violence, and the poor's voices - to challenge NDA, potentially igniting national change.s...