Opposition to Raise ‘Vote Theft’ Issue: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said the Opposition will jointly raise concerns over alleged vote manipulation and highlight the issue before citizens across the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Pawar said his party was examining election results closely and would present its findings in about two weeks.

The remarks come amid Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote chori”, where he accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of siding with the BJP and failing to uphold the principle of “one man, one vote.” Gandhi had earlier claimed that over 1 lakh votes were “stolen” in Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls through five types of manipulation.

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“We are also studying the results of past elections conducted by the ECI and will bring the issue before the people. We don’t expect anything from the ECI,” Pawar said. He also defended Gandhi’s refusal to file an affidavit as sought by the poll panel, pointing out that “300 MPs hit the streets against the ECI and they were arrested.”

Pawar noted that Gandhi’s recent rallies in Bihar have been drawing positive public response, adding that while the state may be economically backward, its people have a strong political legacy.

He cited examples like Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha and Jayaprakash Narayan’s anti-Emergency movement, calling Bihar a land that has produced mass leaders such as Karpoori Thakur.

With Bihar assembly elections expected in October-November, Pawar hinted that the Opposition bloc plans to make “vote theft” a central campaign issue.

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