BJP rigged Maharashtra elections, claims Rahul Gandhi in op-ed
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of manipulating the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections.
In an op-ed for The Indian Express, he alleged a five-step process was used to influence the election outcome in favor of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.
This alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), won 235 out of 288 assembly seats, with the BJP alone winning a record 132 seats.
Allegations explained
Gandhi details alleged 5-step model to rig elections
Gandhi's allegations center around what he calls a "systematic method to subvert democracy."
He alleged that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) used a five-step model to rig the elections.
This included rigging the panel for appointing the Election Commission, adding fake voters to electoral rolls, inflating voter turnout, targeting bogus voting in key areas, and hiding evidence.
Appointment controversy
'Changes to Election Commissioners Appointment Act...'
Gandhi also slammed the BJP-led Centre's 2023 changes to the Election Commissioners Appointment Act.
The Act replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister on the selection committee for Election Commissioners.
He argued that this tilted the balance in favor of the executive, calling it an industrial-scale rigging involving national institutions.
Response to allegations
BJP, Election Commission respond to allegations
The Election Commission has reiterated its autonomy and adherence to constitutional laws.
In response to Gandhi's voter registration claims, BJP spokesperson Tuhin Sinha said such increases are normal. He added that similar processes were followed before other elections won by Congress.
The Election Commission attributed the rise in registered voters to increased youth participation and targeted campaigns for new voter enrollment.
Dismissal of claims
BJP calls Gandhi's claims misleading
BJP leaders have dismissed Gandhi's allegations as misleading.
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT Cell, accused Gandhi of deliberately sowing doubt and division among voters.
"It is not that Rahul Gandhi doesn't understand how the electoral process works. He does—very well. But his goal is not clarity, it is chaos," he said.
Malviya also compared Gandhi's tactics to those described in George Soros's playbook, suggesting they aim to erode public faith in institutions for political gain.
Opposition response
Opposition parties have raised concerns about poll rigging
Opposition parties have consistently raised concerns about poll rigging in Maharashtra.
Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has called for a return to ballot paper voting, criticizing electronic voting machines (EVMs) as fraudulent.
Gandhi warned that similar "match-fixing" could occur in upcoming elections in Bihar and other states where the BJP might face losses.
"Match-fixed elections are a poison for any democracy," he wrote.