Siddaramaiah Joins Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra In Bihar After His 'Vote Chori' In 1991 Polls Remark Stirred Row

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar's Gopalganj. CM Siddaramaiah visited to lend support to the yatra, which has seen participation from across the opposition parties.

The campaign seeks to highlight alleged irregularities in the state’s voter lists and to demand fair electoral practices. Speaking at the rally, Siddaramaiah said protecting voter rights was not just a matter of politics but of democracy itself.

"The right to vote is the foundation of our Republic. If that is compromised, the very spirit of the Constitution is undermined," he said, stressing, "free and fair elections are the lifeblood of a democracy."

Siddaramaiah's visit came a day after his remarks about the 1991 polls stirred a row with the BJP, prompting it to hit out at the Congress.

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CM Siddaramaiah, on Thursday, felicitated Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar, who fought his case without any legal fee when he lost the 1991 election.

Siddaramaiah recalled, "In 1991, when I contested Lok Sabha elections, I lost it because of cheating (fraud), we can say. At that time, Ravivarma Kumar only filed the case as my advocate by drafting it without taking any fees, and he fought it for me."

The BJP lashed out at CM Siddaramaiah, reminding him that it was Congress that was in power i 1991 and he had lost the election while contesting on a JDS ticket.

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Among other leaders, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Annie Raja, the CPI leader who contested against Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad in 2024.

(With input from agencies)