Rahul Gandhi Accuses Election Commission of Vote Manipulation

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India, accusing it of orchestrating elections to favor the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). During a press conference, Gandhi presented what he termed as evidence of 'vote chori' (vote theft), specifically pointing to the Mahadevapura Assembly seat in Karnataka. According to Gandhi, Congress won several other seats but lost Mahadevapura due to alleged election theater.

Gandhi claimed that Congress's analysis revealed 1,00,250 votes were illicitly appropriated through various means, including duplicate voters and invalid addresses. He also expressed suspicion over the inexplicable rise in voters within a short span in Maharashtra, which he suggested were inflated ahead of assembly elections. He questioned the BJP's immunity to anti-incumbency, highlighted by unexpectedly favorable results in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, contradicting opinion and exit polls.

The Election Commission, however, has countered Gandhi's allegations, stating that he hasn't responded to their invitation for discussions. They challenged his media assertions, suggesting his reluctance might stem from unsubstantiated claims. The EC's correspondence emphasizes their openness to address his concerns, urging him to set a meeting to discuss the alleged irregularities.

(With inputs from agencies.)