Democracy Under Siege: Allegations of Electoral Manipulation in Maharashtra

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday launched a scathing attack, claiming that Maharashtra's democratic process was 'butchered' during the 2024 assembly elections. Citing Rahul Gandhi's recent article, Chennithala accused the ruling coalition of orchestrating a deliberate manipulation of the electoral process, undermining the will of the people.

According to Chennithala, Gandhi's article in the Indian Express described the Maharashtra elections as a 'blueprint for rigging democracy', warning that similar electoral misconduct could occur in future elections, where the BJP seems poised to lose. He claimed that Maharashtra's polls were hijacked not by voter choice but through deceitful tactics.

In response, Election Commission sources dismissed allegations of rigging, suggesting the accusations stemmed from dissatisfaction with the election outcomes. Chennithala urged citizens to remain vigilant, as the essence of democracy is at stake, calling for transparency and accountability from electoral institutions.

(With inputs from agencies.)