The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a sharp counterattack against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s accusations of large-scale voter fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, accusing him of spreading a “false narrative” to undermine India’s constitutional institutions, particularly the Election Commission of India (ECI).
BJP Calls Allegations Politically Motivated
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, in a press conference on Friday, dismissed Gandhi’s claims as politically driven attempts to cover up Congress’s electoral failures.
“He talks of dropping an atom bomb of evidence, but ends up cutting the branch he sits on. Is this language befitting a Leader of the Opposition?” Yadav asked, also accusing Gandhi of intimidating ECI officials with threats of action if the opposition came to power.
Specific Charges by Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi alleged that in Bengaluru Central’s Mahadevapura Assembly segment, over 1,00,250 votes were “stolen” using duplicate entries, fake addresses, and misuse of Form 6, helping the BJP win by a margin of 32,707 votes.
He further claimed Maharashtra saw one crore new voters between the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections — a figure disputed by Yadav, who said the actual difference was only 40 lakh, based on ECI data.
ECI Seeks Proof Under Rule 20(3)(b)
The Election Commission has formally asked Gandhi to submit a sworn affidavit under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, to substantiate his claims.
Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer warned that failing to provide evidence would indicate the allegations are baseless.
BJP MPs Reject Fraud Claims
BJP MP P.C. Mohan, who won from Bengaluru Central, termed the accusations “political theatre,” insisting his win was purely due to voter trust and not manipulation.
Yadav stressed that voter roll revisions were handled independently by the ECI and accused Gandhi of “selectively questioning” election results only when Congress lost.
Political Fallout and Next Steps
The Congress has announced a protest march to the ECI office in Bengaluru, intensifying the political battle.
While leaders like Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah back Gandhi’s demand for greater electoral transparency, the BJP insists these allegations aim to deflate public faith in democratic institutions.
All eyes are now on the ECI’s response and the affidavit Gandhi has been asked to provide.
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