The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday launched the third phase of its nationwide campaign, ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’, with a mass signature drive against alleged electoral malpractices.
The programme was inaugurated by state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha, who signed the petition first and urged party workers to take the campaign to every village and town across the state.
Saha said the Congress has set a target of collecting five crore signatures across India, which will later be submitted to the President and the Election Commission of India. He added that while the earlier phases of the campaign included padayatras, rallies and public meetings, the current phase focuses on grassroots mobilisation through signature collection.
Accusing the ruling BJP of manipulating voter rolls, Saha alleged that “illegitimate voters” had been added in several states to tilt election outcomes in the party’s favour. He demanded reforms from the Election Commission, including electronically readable voter lists, public disclosure of voter roll changes, fixed deadlines for enrolment, and strong action against voter intimidation.
The state Congress chief also emphasized that the campaign is not just about politics but about protecting democracy and ensuring free and fair elections in the country.
The signature drive in Tripura will continue until October 15, 2025, with a short pause during Durga Puja festivities.