Bihar Election 2025: Allegations of file theft and vote manipulation roil final day of campaigning

Tensions intensified on the final day of campaigning for Bihar’s second phase as fresh allegations and explosive political claims emerged from multiple corners. Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera (note: user spelled as Pawan Kheda) publicly alleged that government files related to corruption are being surreptitiously removed or destroyed ahead of possible post-poll scrutiny. Khera warned that several ministers are reportedly “packing to vacate their homes,” and suggested that mysterious fires or disappearances of official records could be used to erase evidence, a charge that has added a new layer of controversy to an already heated election. At the same time, Rahul Gandhi renewed his party’s dramatic accusations of vote theft, saying Congress holds “substantial evidence” of tampering and vowing further disclosures at an appropriate time. He accused a nexus of political actors and suggested the Election Commission must respond to complaints about missing CCTV footage, VVPAT anomalies and strong-room irregularities. These claims have prompted immediate denials by the ruling camp, which called the allegations politically motivated. Meanwhile, campaigning remained frenetic across Bihar: national leaders held rallies in Seemanchal, Saran and other battlegrounds; cultural moments from shared golgappa breaks to patriotic songs by film personalities punctuated voter outreach; and local flare-ups saw leaders lose their temper over party symbols and rival supporters. With polling scheduled on November 11 for 122 seats and results due November 14, the combined effect of corruption-file claims and vote-tampering allegations could keep the post-poll period politically volatile and intensify demands for investigations by the Election Commission and courts.