Shinde Slams Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Theft’ Claims, Challenges Congress to Court
Prove Vote Fraud or Apologize, Shinde Demands
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition on Sunday, dismissing Gandhi’s allegations of “vote theft” in elections as baseless and an insult to Maharashtra’s voters. Speaking to reporters at an event in Thane, the Shiv Sena leader challenged the Congress to substantiate their claims in court or before the Election Commission (EC), accusing them of undermining the democratic mandate of the state’s people.
Gandhi, on Thursday, alleged a “huge criminal fraud” in elections, claiming collusion between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the EC, based on an analysis of voter rolls in a Karnataka constituency from 2024. He escalated his accusations the next day, asserting that the EC and BJP “stole” the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in at least three states, including Maharashtra, where he claimed the assembly poll results confirmed the Congress’s suspicions of electoral manipulation.
Shinde, without naming Gandhi directly, condemned the opposition’s “wild allegations” as disrespectful to Maharashtra’s electorate, who voted the Mahayuti coalition—comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—into power. “If they have proof, they should go to the court or the Election Commission. By making such baseless claims, they have insulted the citizens of Maharashtra, our sisters, brothers, farmers, and people who elected us,” Shinde said.
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The EC swiftly rebutted Gandhi’s claims, accusing him of reviving allegations previously dismissed by the Supreme Court. On Friday, it demanded that Gandhi provide a written declaration detailing specific “wrong” entries in voter lists or issue a public apology. Chief Electoral Officers in Karnataka and Maharashtra also urged Gandhi to share names of allegedly fraudulent voters with a signed declaration to initiate investigations.
The controversy has intensified political tensions, with the Congress doubling down on its narrative of electoral fraud, while the Mahayuti coalition accuses the opposition of deflecting from its electoral losses. As the row escalates, all eyes are on whether Gandhi will produce evidence or face further legal scrutiny.
