Will take time but we’ll catch you: Rahul Gandhi promises to expose vote theft by BJP, EC

Congress MP and LoP in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, leveling severe allegations against the Election Commission (EC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accused them of "hiding a big crime" related to alleged voter list manipulations during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Gandhi's remarks come amid a growing political controversy over electoral integrity in the state.

Addressing a rally in Bengaluru on Friday, Gandhi characterised the alleged voter list manipulations as a "criminal act against the people of Karnataka". He urged the state government to conduct a thorough investigation and to hold the responsible officials accountable. Highlighting the seriousness of the allegations, he stated, "The EC and BJP together have stolen the Lok Sabha from Karnataka."

Gandhi criticised the BJP's actions as "against the Constitution", claiming that these tactics were used to target the poor and small traders. He vowed that "every Congress worker would stand to protect the Constitution and the democratic rights of citizens." Demonstrating his resolve, he warned: "Time lagega, magar hum aapko pakdenge (It will take time, but we will catch you)."

He further accused the EC of refusing to share electronic voter lists and polling booth videos, suggesting that these actions were intended to shield the BJP’s alleged electoral malpractice. "The EC asks me to file an affidavit and give information under oath. I have taken oath inside the Parliament holding the Constitution," Gandhi emphasised, criticising the demand for additional evidence from him.

Gandhi claimed that his party had been projected to win 15 to 16 seats according to Congress surveys, but they won only nine, leading him to question the election's legitimacy. "Our polling showed that we were ahead in 16 seats but we won nine seats. Then we started questioning. Did we really lose elections?" he stated, emphasising the need for transparency in the electoral process.

Highlighting the situation in Maharashtra, he noted, "In the (2024) Lok Sabha election, our alliance wins in Maharashtra. But after 4 months, the BJP wins the Maharashtra Assembly election. It was a surprising election result." Gandhi alleged that ‘1 crore new voters cast their votes’ in the state assembly election, raising further questions about the legitimacy of the votes.

Gandhi alleged widespread voter fraud, pointing to evidence of "duplicate voters, fake or invalid addresses, bulk registrations at single addresses linked to BJP leaders" and other irregularities. He demanded that the EC release electronic voter lists and polling day videography records for the past decade, asserting that such data would reveal how "the Prime Minister of India became PM by stealing votes”.

Reaffirming his commitment to electoral transparency, Gandhi concluded that "in the last election, Modi and its leaders made an assault on the Constitution. Indian institutions were destroyed." His remarks signal an ongoing effort by the Congress to challenge and rectify perceived electoral malpractices.