BJP hits back, accuses Akhilesh, Rahul of ‘vote theft’ in own seats

The ruling BJP on Wednesday hit back at the Congress-led INDIA bloc over ongoing voter theft allegations, demanding the resignations of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav and accusing them of protecting “infiltrators” in poll rolls.

BJP Lok Sabha MP and former Union Minister Anurag Thakur led the attack, accusing Rahul and the Congress of repeatedly making false claims about EVMs, the Election Commission and constitutional institutions after suffering 90 electoral defeats.

Citing examples, Thakur alleged that the Congress began the practice of electoral rigging and voter manipulation in 1952, pointing to incidents such as Dr BR Ambedkar’s defeat, booth capturing, nomination cancellations and Indira Gandhi’s misuse of government machinery in 1971.

He presented figures and data on alleged suspicious voters, duplicate entries, fake addresses, manipulated ages and mass additions in constituencies, including Wayanad, Rae Bareli, Diamond Harbour, Kannauj, Mainpuri and Kolathur. Thakur claimed the Opposition promotes such fraud to protect infiltrators’ vote banks and for appeasement politics, while resisting electoral reforms.

Thakur demanded the resignations of Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee and MK Stalin, accusing the Opposition of ‘Chor Machaye Shor’.

Responding to Rahul’s claims of excessive voter additions in Maharashtra, Thakur pointed out that in 2004, the voter growth rate was 4.7 per cent and the UPA formed the government; in 2009, it was 4.1 per cent and the UPA again came to power. In contrast, the growth rate was 3.4 per cent in 2014, 1.3 per cent in 2019 and 4 per cent in 2024 — all lower than in 2004 and 2009.

“Rahul and the opposition should answer — did they steal votes then?” the senior BJP leader asked, questioning Rahul for not presenting his allegations on oath to the EC.

Thakur said the Congress held the “record of losing 90 elections under Rahul”.

“Even within the Congress, questions are raised about Rahul’s leadership. Whenever he loses an election, he questions EVMs, or blames voters,” he added.

Earlier, the Congress alleged that EVMs were being tampered with and demanded a return to ballot papers. After losing the next election, they called for 100 per cent verification of VVPATs. Thakur said after every defeat, the party “manufactures a new excuse”.

The former minister recalled history to say the “task of defeating Dr Ambedkar was carried out jointly by the Congress and CPI”.

“During that time, 74,333 votes were rejected, while Dr Ambedkar lost by only 14,561 votes. In the very first election, the Congress worked to eliminate the Constitution’s architect and a Dalit leader. On April 21, 1952, Dr Ambedkar filed an 18-page petition. The very person who wrote the Constitution was defeated in the elections through rigging by the Congress and one family,” said Thakur.

Earlier in the day, BJP’s Amit Malviya cited Sonia Gandhi’s history as a voter to say that her name entered the electoral rolls twice without meeting the basic citizenship requirement — first as an Italian citizen in 1980, and then again in 1983, months before she legally became a citizen of India.

“We are not even asking why it took her 15 years after marrying Rajiv Gandhi to accept Indian citizenship. Is this not blatant electoral malpractice?” Malviya asked, adding that Sonia’s tryst with India’s voters’ list is riddled with glaring violations of electoral law which explains “Rahul’s fondness for regularising ineligible and illegal voters, and his opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)”.