Rahul Gandhi alleges vote theft by EC, here's how political leaders reacted

Rahul Gandhi accuses Election Commission of rigging votes to favour BJP in 2024 polls. Several opposition leaders back him, while BJP dismisses claims as baseless and driven by frustration

On Thursday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi released a video on X accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to commit “vote theft”. Gandhi described this alleged manipulation as a betrayal of the Constitution and democracy, warning that those responsible would face punishment. This video follows his recent press conference where he claimed a “vote chori” model was used in multiple constituencies to favour the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 General Elections.

 

Gandhi specifically cited an analysis of voter data from Karnataka’s Mahadevapura assembly segment, alleging that the Election Commission rigged the polls at the BJP’s behest to ensure their victory.

 

 

Right after Gandhi’s claims, several political leaders came out in support of him, backing his allegations of electoral fraud. The BJP, on the other hand, was quick to counter these claims and slammed Gandhi for his accusations.

 

Support for Rahul Gandhi’s allegations 

Several prominent leaders came forward backing Gandhi’s claims. Shashi Tharoor, Congress MP, urged the Election Commission to address the “serious questions” raised, emphasising the importance of protecting the credibility of Indian democracy.

 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of manipulating the 2024 elections to remain in power, highlighting irregularities like voter roll surges in Maharashtra and deletions in Bihar. He pointed to over one lakh “fake votes” in Mahadevapura alone that allegedly flipped Bangalore Central.

 

Actor Prakash Raj called Rahul Gandhi’s video a wake-up call, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the nation on the issue.

 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray demanded the Election Commission publicly respond to the evidence presented. Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Congress leader, also showed solidarity with Gandhi’s stance.

 

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal commended Gandhi for exposing “astounding facts” of massive electoral fraud and accused the Election Commission of acting as a government agent.

 

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge backed up Gandhi’s investigation, stating the Election Commission allowed rigging that led to 100,250 votes being stolen in Mahadevapura — a pattern, he said, is repeated across multiple constituencies.

 

CPI MP P Santhosh Kumar supported Gandhi, stating the opposition shares these concerns and criticised the Election Commission for ignoring their proposals. 

 

BJP’s response and criticism 

The BJP was quick to reject Gandhi’s allegations, accusing him of frustration over poor electoral performance.

 

BJP MP and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad condemned Gandhi’s remarks as “irresponsible and shameless”, accusing him of defaming the Election Commission.

 

BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra dismissed the claims as “selective outrage”, pointing out that the Congress praises the Election Commission only when it wins and complains otherwise.

 

BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya accused Gandhi of making baseless allegations due to the public’s rejection of Congress and its allies.

 

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale defended the Election Commission’s independence and urged Gandhi to take his concerns directly to the EC, emphasizing that the voter list is prepared under the EC’s supervision.

 

Meanwhile, the Election Commission responded to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, saying if he truly believes his claims, he should submit a signed declaration and oath. Otherwise, he should apologise to the nation for making baseless accusations, reported ANI, citing sources.