During the gathering, Rajballabh Yadav made controversial statements regarding Tejashwi Yadav’s marriage. He criticized Yadav’s focus on caste for electoral gains while marrying outside the community. He remarked that it would have been better had Tejashwi married a woman from the Yadav community. He questioned the need to bring a wife from Haryana-Punjab, comparing it to acquiring a ‘Jersey cow’.

In the wake of these statements, RJD workers expressed outrage. RJD activists in Nawada staged vehement protests, burning effigies of Rajballabh Yadav. RJD district president Renu Singh condemned the remarks, stating that the insult of women would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Rajballabh Yadav has reportedly been at odds with the party for a considerable period. His wife, Vibha Devi, was elected as an MLA from Nawada on an RJD ticket in 2020.

Notably, Vibha Devi was seen on the BJP stage during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Gaya recently, fueling speculation about her growing proximity to the ruling party.

Amidst this controversy, political activity in Nawada has intensified. Recently, former JDU MLA Kaushal Yadav joined the RJD.

Rajballabh Yadav is known for his strong influence within the Yadav community. Political analysts suggest that the stances taken by Rajballabh Yadav and his wife are reshaping the political landscape in Nawada, and Yadav’s recent statements make it clear that his relationship with the RJD has soured.

Gandhi initiated the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ on Sunday, in the presence of former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and several other leaders of the ‘INDIA’ alliance, strongly criticizing the Election Commission during the launch. In a public meeting in Gaya on Monday, Rahul warned top officials of the Election Commission, stating that strict action would be taken against the Chief Election Commissioner (Gyanesh Kumar) and election commissioners if the ‘INDIA’ alliance forms a government in the center and in Bihar, citing allegations of ‘vote theft.’

This journey claims to protect votes. Today is the third day of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ and Rahul Gandhi will address 2 public meetings. Through this yatra, the Congress is trying to continuously convey to the people of Bihar that their votes will be protected and those who steal votes will be removed. ‘We will fight and win this battle together with the people.’ During this 16-day journey, Rahul Gandhi will cover a total distance of 1,300 kilometers, passing through 20 districts.

Nawada district, located in the southern region of Bihar, is one of the 38 districts in the state. This district falls under the Magadh division. The boundaries of this district meet with Gaya, Sheikhpura, and Jamui in Bihar, while a significant portion borders Koderma and Giridih of Jharkhand. Considering the Magadh division, it includes 5 districts: Arwal, Jehanabad, Aurangabad, Gaya, and Nawada.

The Mahagathbandhan’s dominance in the Magadh division. In this division, there are a total of 26 assembly seats, where the Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal, is considered to be in a strong position. In the 2020 assembly elections, the Mahagathbandhan won 20 out of the 26 seats. The NDA, led by the Janata Dal United, did very poorly in Bihar, managing to secure only 6 seats. The performance of the Mahagathbandhan in Nawada district, through which Rahul Gandhi’s yatra is passing today, was very impressive.

Nawada, included among the most backward districts in the country, saw the Mahagathbandhan win 4 out of 5 assembly seats, while the NDA won only one seat. The NDA won from one seat (Warsaliganj), where BJP candidate Aruna Devi was victorious. The remaining four seats, namely, Rajauli, Hisua, Nawada, and Gobindpur, went to the Mahagathbandhan. The RJD won 3 out of 4 seats from the Mahagathbandhan.

Nawada’s connection with Sri Krishna Sinha. This is the same Nawada district that was once a stronghold of the Congress. During the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ Rahul Gandhi will pay tribute to Bihar’s first Chief Minister, Sri Krishna Sinha, at the Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha Chowk in Barbigha of Sheikhpura district in the evening and will address a public meeting there. Sri Krishna Sinha was born in Khanwa, Nawada district. He was a great freedom fighter. After independence, he became the first Chief Minister of Bihar. And he remained in office until his death in 1961. He was also called Bihar Kesari and Sri Babu.

He belongs to the powerful Bhumihar community of Bihar (2.86% in the state). While Rahul is keeping an eye on the Dalit and Muslim communities, he is also working on a strategy to keep Bhumihar voters with him. In the last election, the Congress got one seat in Nawada district, while its ally RJD got 4 seats. The Mahagathbandhan wants to maintain its previous performance. In such a situation, its efforts will be to maintain its previous performance through the yatra in this district while sweeping the Magadh division.

Rahul Gandhi voiced accusations of a partnership between the Election Commission and the BJP, alleging that both parties were colluding to steal votes. He also stated that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ would ensure that not a single vote is stolen in Bihar. He made these remarks while addressing a gathering at Bhagat Singh Chowk in Nawada.

Addressing the public, the Congress MP emphasized that the right to vote is a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution. He accused Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and the Election Commissioner of attempting to undermine this right. He conveyed the resolve of himself, Tejashwi, and the leaders of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ to prevent any vote theft in Bihar.

Rahul Gandhi further elaborated, stating that in Bihar, vote theft is being carried out in a new manner under the guise of SIR. He warned the public that first their voter cards would be taken, followed by ration cards, and eventually their land would be handed over to Adani and Ambani. He asserted that the country belongs to farmers, laborers, and small business owners, not to Adani and Ambani.

News of the event caused a sensation in the village. The incident occurred in the Akbarpur block area and came to light on Tuesday when the Nemdarganj police and the Surat police conducted a joint operation to recover the three girls. On July 19, the three underage friends, who attended the same school, left home under the pretext of bringing their mark sheets. Two of the girls were from one village, and the third was from another. They had planned to live together.

After their disappearance, the families searched for two days without any luck. On July 21, a missing person’s report was filed at the Nemdarganj police station. During the investigation, the police discovered that the three girls were working in a textile mill in Patel Nagar, Surat. The shocking part was that two of the girls had married each other, with one taking on the role of the bride and the other the husband. The third girl was living with them as the brother-in-law.

Following a joint operation by the Surat and Nemdarganj police, the girls were brought back to Nawada. When they were brought to the police station, the sight of one girl with sindoor in her hair and the other as a husband shocked everyone. The third girl’s role as the brother-in-law further fueled the discussion around the case. This incident has become a topic of curiosity and debate not only in Nawada but throughout Bihar.

According to the Nemdarganj police station in-charge, Vinay Kumar, this is an unusual case, and the police are investigating all aspects thoroughly. It will be clear what legal action will be taken in this case only after the girls’ statements are recorded.