BJP MP Challenges Rahul Gandhi's Vote Theft Allegations

On Friday, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal issued a sharp rebuttal to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations against the Election Commission of India. Pal called on Gandhi to either provide evidence for his claims or apologize for defaming the constitutional body.

Pal criticized Gandhi for accusing a respected institution like the EC without substantiating his allegations. Pal argued that Gandhi's approach amounts to a baseless attempt to tarnish the commission's reputation. He insisted that Gandhi should provide concrete evidence or formally apologize.

Echoing similar sentiments, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi admonished Gandhi for not responding to a June 12 letter from the Election Commission that sought clarification on his claims. Joshi and other officials requested Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit to substantiate his allegations, a step he has yet to take.

These developments follow Gandhi's August 7 press conference, where he accused the EC of orchestrating the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in favor of the BJP. Gandhi alleged significant vote theft in Mahadevapura, Karnataka, pointing to discrepancies in expected and actual election results there.

Gandhi cited Congress's internal research to back his allegation of 1,00,250 stolen votes. He described tactics such as fake addresses and bulk voter registrations in the discrepancies uncovered in Mahadevapura. His claims await formal scrutiny given the lack of an official complaint process thus far.

(With inputs from agencies.)