‘Vote Chor’ Slogan Echoes Nationwide, Rahul Says Modi’s Manipur Trip No Big Deal

Junagadh, Sep 12: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday sharpened his attack on the ruling BJP, declaring that the real challenge facing India today is “vote chori” (vote theft) rather than Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Manipur. Speaking to reporters outside Keshod airport in Gujarat’s Junagadh district, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that while the Prime Minister’s visit to the strife-hit northeastern state may draw attention, it is not a “big deal” given the prolonged unrest there.

“Manipur has been burning for a long time. The Prime Minister has chosen to go there now. So that’s not a big deal. The main issue before the nation today is vote theft. In every corner of the country, people are raising the slogan of ‘vote chor’ (vote thief),” Gandhi asserted.

Gandhi accused the BJP of subverting democratic mandates in multiple states. “They stole the elections in Haryana and Maharashtra. We recently proved in Karnataka how their attempts to manipulate democracy could be defeated. So the central issue today is vote theft, which threatens the very fabric of our democracy,” he said.

The Congress leader’s remarks came on the eve of Prime Minister Modi’s scheduled visit to Manipur on September 13, where he is expected to meet internally displaced families in Churachandpur and Imphal. This will mark Modi’s first visit to the state since the outbreak of ethnic clashes two years ago. Gandhi, however, suggested that the visit was “belated” and did not address the broader erosion of democratic norms under the current government.

Gandhi arrived in Junagadh to participate in the Congress’ ongoing ‘Sangathan Srujan Abhiyan’ (Organisation Creation Campaign), a training programme for district and city unit presidents running from September 10 to 19. The initiative, inaugurated earlier this week by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, aims to revitalise the Congress organisation in Gujarat, a key BJP stronghold.

“Rahul Gandhi will spend nearly three hours with district and city presidents, as well as senior party leaders, to discuss strategy and future plans,” Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi confirmed. The programme is seen as part of the party’s larger effort to energise its cadre ahead of upcoming elections.

Framing the BJP’s governance style as dictatorial, Gandhi sought to turn the slogan of “vote chor” into a rallying cry for the Congress. “The fight is not only about one state or one leader; it is about safeguarding the democratic rights of the people of India,” he concluded.