Govt, opposition spar over Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote theft’ claim; ECI asks LoP to ‘apologise’

NEW DELHI: The Centre and opposition on Friday sparred over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote theft” against the Election Commission of India (ECI), with BJP leaders and allies dismissing his claims as “baseless.”

However, the opposition members backed his charges and demanded a parliamentary discussion.

This came in response to a press conference held by Rahul Gandhi on August 7, where he claimed that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were “choreographed” by the EC to benefit the BJP, which he said appeared “immune to anti-incumbency.”

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said neither Rahul Gandhi’s party nor his party workers believed his claims, adding that if common entries in voter lists existed, a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was necessary.

Speaking to reporters, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “I have said this earlier too that neither his political party nor his party workers believe what he says. So, I think the country also need not take his words very seriously…In his press conference yesterday, Rahul Gandhi presented data collected through software and discussed common entries across different states. I would like to ask one thing, if there indeed are common entries, then Special Intensive Review (SIR) becomes all the more important. He and his party have to decide whether they are supporting or opposing SIR.”

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal accused Gandhi of attempting to defame a constitutional body without evidence, terming his approach a “hit and run.”

“…He is telling a constitutional body that the statements he gave to the media is his statement. You are levelling such serious allegations against a Constitutional body, after such serious allegations you are not ready to give it in writing or produce proof for the same. So, you are attempting to defame the EC. This ‘hit and run’ won’t work. If he has any proof, he will have to produce the same. Otherwise, he should be ashamed of himself and apologise…” Jagdambika Pal asserted.

Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske said disruptions in Parliament over the matter insulted crores of voters.

Mhaske stated, “Whatever is going on is really bad. This is an insult to crores of voters. These voters elect us as MPs…But with such ruckus and disruption of the proceedings of Parliament, crores of voters are being insulted.”

Labelling Rahul Gandhi’s claims as ‘baseless”, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today said that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha is trying to “sensationalise” the issue instead of availing the legal processes.

The poll body, in a statement, said that Rahul Gandhi repeated a “tired” script.”

According to the sources, the poll body had also asked Rahul Gandhi to sign the declaration by Chief Electoral Officers of Maharashtra and Karnataka or apologise for his “absurd” allegations.

ECI sources said, “If Rahul Gandhi believes in his analysis and believes that his allegations against ECI are true, he should have no problem in signing the Declaration.”

ECI asked Rahul Gandhi to apologise if he does not sign the affidavits.

“If Rahul Gandhi does not sign the Declaration, it would mean that he does not believe in his analysis and resultant conclusions and absurd allegations. In which case, he should apologise to the nation. Therefore, he has two options: Either sign the Declaration or apologise to the Nation for raising absurd allegations against ECI,” sources said.

Countering Gandhi’s claim, sources pointed out that the Congress-led Karnataka government itself relies on electoral rolls for its crucial caste census policy.

On the other hand, Congress MP Manickam Tagore described the BJP government as a “stolen government” with 30 extra seats, citing alleged vote theft in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura constituency. He accused Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of working for Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“…This is a classic example of how 2024 elections have been stolen from the Opposition. This Govt, which is run by Mr Modi and Amit Shah, is a stolen Govt with 30 more seats…Any neutral Election Commission would have asked that there will be a committee, they would have examined the complaint…But we can’t these things from Gyanesh Kumar because he is not T. N. Seshan. He works for Mr Amit Shah, not the Election Commission of India…” Tagore alleged.

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram criticised the ECI’s handling of the matter, while SP MP Rajeev Rai questioned why affidavits were sought from complainants but not from the ECI.

“…It is sad in our democracy that the body that is entrusted with the function of running free and fair elections is behaving in this manner. It is such a bad fall from the days when the EC was headed by legendary Civil Servants like TN Seshan. This is so churlish and so petty. Will the EC next say that they will file a defamation case against LoP?…” Chidambaram argued.

SP MP Rajeev Rai said, “Why does the Election Commission ask for an affidavit whenever there is a genuine complaint? … The Election Commission should also give an affidavit that if the voter list is wrong, then a case of fraud be filed against them…”

Citing internal analysis, Gandhi said the Congress expected to win 16 seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine. He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 1,00,250 votes.

Presenting Congress’s research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) of 1,00,250 votes.

“Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We focused on Mahadevapur…All data is 2024 data from the Election Commission; the total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 6,58,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 1,15,586 and BJP polls 2,29,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one,” the Congress leader said.

“We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, on a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house,” he said. (ANI)