Priyanka Gandhi Alleges NDA Planning To 'Steal' Bihar Elections

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday accused the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of preparing to manipulate the Bihar Assembly elections, comparing the alleged plan to what she described as “vote theft” during the Haryana polls.

Addressing rallies in Sitamarhi and East Champaran, Priyanka claimed that over 65 lakh names had been removed from Bihar’s voter rolls and alleged that the Election Commission was working under government pressure. “They want to steal your votes the way they did in Haryana. But this time, the people of Bihar will stop them,” she said, urging citizens to vote in large numbers.

The Congress leader accused the NDA government of ignoring key public issues such as unemployment, inflation, and crumbling infrastructure, citing that “27 bridges have collapsed in the last three years” in Bihar. She said a free and fair election would ensure the “complete uprooting” of the current government.

Priyanka called on youth and women to lead the charge for change, asserting that “if the election is fair, Bihar will see a new dawn led by truth and justice.”

The first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections recorded a voter turnout of 53.77% by 3 p.m. across 121 constituencies on Thursday, according to Election Commission data.

Deputy Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Lakhisarai, Vijay Kumar Sinha, alleged that his convoy was attacked by supporters of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). He also claimed that voters from extremely backward classes were being intimidated at certain polling booths.

Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav renewed his call for a generational shift in Bihar politics, saying the state needs a “change of guard” after two decades under the current leadership. He urged voters to back younger leadership for a “new Bihar.”

The election is being seen as a crucial contest between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc, with governance, welfare delivery, and law and order emerging as key issues in the campaign.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar dismissed Congress’s allegation of faulty EVMs in ten districts, assuring that voting was proceeding smoothly across all constituencies.

After his vote theft allegations in Delhi on Wednesday, a day later the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi campaigned in Purnia and Araria, which will vote in the second phase on 11 November. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “cheap data” remark, arguing that while youth spent time on Instagram Reels, they lacked employment opportunities. Gandhi also reiterated his claim of vote irregularities in Haryana, highlighting alleged duplicate entries and foreign voters.