A simmering dispute between the Election Commission and Rahul Gandhi regarding allegations of electoral fraud has escalated into a public confrontation. The core of the dispute revolves around Gandhi’s claims of widespread vote manipulation, which he has now extended to the upcoming Bihar elections. The EC initially issued a notice to Gandhi to respond to his accusations and file an affidavit. However, the commission’s full bench, in a press conference, dismissed Gandhi’s allegations without mentioning his name, and issued a seven-day ultimatum. Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, stated that Gandhi must either submit an affidavit or apologize nationwide, failing which the allegations would be deemed baseless.
The political landscape has heated up following the EC’s firm stance. Congress and BJP spokespersons have presented their respective viewpoints. Congress connected the EC’s response to Rahul Gandhi’s voter rights journey in Bihar, arguing that the EC has not addressed any of the specific claims made by Gandhi. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asserted that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha only presented facts that emerged from the EC’s own data, accusing the EC of incompetence and blatant partisanship.
Political analysts, including senior journalist and political analyst Omprakash Ashk, have noted the unusual timing of the EC’s press conference, which coincided with Gandhi’s voter rights journey in Bihar. He suggested that the EC’s response reflected a sense of unease and concern regarding the political accusations made by the opposition. He pointed out that the timing of the press conference has given the opposition an opportunity to raise questions, leading to political debate.
Meanwhile, the BJP has retaliated in the ongoing ‘vote theft’ controversy, accusing leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, and Abhishek Banerjee of winning their seats through irregular voter registrations. Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur presented evidence of fraudulent voters in constituencies like Raebareli, Wayanad, and Kannauj and demanded the resignation of these MPs. He also accused the opposition parties of running a false campaign against the EC’s voter list revision to protect ‘illegal infiltrators’.