* Intensifies ‘Vote Adhikar’ campaign
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 9: Working president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) and former Minister, Raman Bhalla today came down heavily on the BJP, accusing it of subverting democratic values, manipulating electoral processes, and betraying the faith of the people through what he termed as “Vote Chori”—a systematic attempt to distort the people’s mandate for political gain.
Bhalla was addressing a large gathering of Congress workers and local residents at Karan Bagh ward number 73 in the RS Pura–Jammu South Assembly constituency, where he formally launched the Congress Party’s “Vote Adhikar” (Right to Vote) signature campaign. The initiative aims to mobilize public opinion against electoral malpractices by the BJP and to strengthen people’s resolve in protecting the sanctity of the democratic process.
The campaign received an overwhelming response, with thousands of people—students, traders, farmers, and social activists—signing the petition to demand electoral reforms and accountability from the ruling party.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla accused the BJP leadership of “bulldozing every democratic institution of the country” and “misusing power to silence dissent and distort democracy.”
He said the ruling party has “weaponized” government machinery to influence elections, intimidate opposition voices, and mislead citizens through propaganda.
“The BJP has systematically undermined the pillars of democracy—be it the Election Commission, Parliament, or the independent media. The very institutions that were created to safeguard people’s rights are being manipulated to serve the ruling party’s political interests,” Bhalla remarked amid applause from the gathering.
He said that the Vote Adhikar campaign is part of a nationwide effort by the Congress Party to expose the BJP’s electoral misdeeds and educate the public about the threats posed to democratic governance.
Party leaders Gurmeet Singh, Amrit Bali, Pawan Bhagat, Ravinder Singh, Rajinder Singh, Naresh Bhagat, Kewal Kumar, Dr Ramesh Kumar also accompanied.
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