The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp counterattack against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, dismissing his allegations of rigging in the Maharashtra assembly elections as baseless and self-defeating. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav likened Gandhi’s claims to “cutting the branch he is sitting on,” pointing out that the Congress and its allies won several seats in constituencies where voter turnout increased, contradicting Gandhi’s narrative.

Gandhi had alleged that the Election Commission (EC) colluded with the BJP to manipulate the 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections, claiming a surge of 1 crore new voters in the latter. Yadav refuted this, citing EC data showing an increase of 40 lakh voters, not 1 crore, and highlighted constituencies like Madha, Mohol, Nagpur West, and Nagpur North, where Congress allies benefited from higher voter numbers. “His foundational logic is incorrect,” Yadav said, mocking Gandhi’s promise of an “atom bomb” revelation that fizzled out.

Yadav accused Gandhi of using “arrogant and threatening” language against the EC, a constitutional body, and urged him to file an affidavit under oath if he had genuine concerns. He alleged that Gandhi’s pattern is to “lie and run away,” pointing to past instances where the Congress leader had to retract false claims, including an apology to the Supreme Court. The BJP leader further criticized Gandhi for undermining institutions like the armed forces and Parliament to serve the Congress “family.”

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The BJP also slammed the Opposition for disrupting Parliament over the EC’s Special Intensive Review of electoral rolls in Bihar, accusing them of dodging substantive discussion. Yadav emphasized that autonomous institutions like the EC operate independently and should not face threats. Gandhi’s recent claims, including allegations of “huge criminal fraud” based on Karnataka election data, have intensified the political slugfest, with the BJP framing them as desperate attempts to tarnish the EC after electoral defeats.

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