The Maharashtra BJP has launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, branding him the "badshah of vote theft" and demanding a public apology for his repeated "unfounded allegations" against India’s electoral process. State BJP chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye accused Gandhi of making baseless claims without pursuing legal recourse within the constitutional framework, particularly in light of recent developments in Karnataka.

During a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of shielding "vote chors" and undermining democracy. He cited data from a Karnataka Assembly constituency, alleging systematic deletion of Congress supporters’ votes ahead of elections. Gandhi framed his accusations as a critical revelation to expose electoral rigging to the nation’s youth.

Upadhye countered sharply, stating, "Rahul Gandhi must apologize to the people of India for his reckless allegations. He is the true 'badshah of vote theft.'" He pointed to a recent Karnataka High Court ruling that overturned the 2023 Malur Assembly election result, where Congress candidate K Y Nanjegowda narrowly defeated BJP’s K S Manjunath Gowda by 248 votes (50,955 to 50,707). The BJP pursued the legal challenge, securing a victory that Upadhye cited as proof that allegations require substantiated evidence and legal battles, not mere rhetoric.

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The BJP spokesperson also raised concerns about voter ID irregularities in Maharashtra, alleging that multiple individuals listed former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan’s Karad residence as their address to obtain voter IDs. Upadhye criticized Gandhi’s opposition to the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) initiative, suggesting a similar probe into Congress leaders’ conduct in Maharashtra to uncover potential misuse of voter registration processes.

In a pointed jab, Upadhye questioned whether Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray would confront Gandhi about the alleged misconduct of Congress leaders in the state. The escalating war of words highlights the deepening political rift as elections loom, with the BJP accusing Gandhi of undermining public trust in democratic institutions. The controversy underscores the high stakes of electoral integrity debates, with both sides digging in for a contentious battle.

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