New Delhi: The results of the Maharashtra local body elections are starting to come in. The Congress party has once again raised the issue of vote theft in this election. Rahul Gandhi had leveled serious allegations against the Election Commission (EC) regarding the ‘indelible ink’ used in the Maharashtra local body elections and the voting process. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack in response, even calling Rahul Gandhi a “hereditary thief.”
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Theft’ Allegation
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised serious questions about the Election Commission amidst the results and counting of the Maharashtra local body elections. He sparked a controversy over the quality of the ‘indelible ink’ used in the marker pens, alleging that the commission was misleading citizens. Rahul Gandhi stated in strong terms on social media that “vote theft is an anti-national act.” BJP’s Counterattack
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla responded to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations with a sharp attack. Poonawalla wrote on the social media platform ‘X’, “The excuse brigade is back! Has defeat been accepted even before the counting is over?” Addressing Rahul Gandhi as a “hereditary thief,” he alleged that he is once again doing what he is best at: defaming institutions, distorting facts, and spreading misinformation. Poonawalla also said that Rahul Gandhi is now merely repeating the claims of the Uddhav Thackeray faction.
Reference to Bihar Elections
The BJP questioned Rahul Gandhi’s credibility, asking what happened to his previous ‘vote theft’ allegations. Poonawalla specifically referred to the allegations made during the Bihar assembly elections and asked what came of those claims. The BJP argues that whenever the Congress and the INDIA alliance lose an election, they start blaming the EVMs or the Election Commission. Questions for INDIA alliance leaders
Amidst the ongoing local body elections in Maharashtra, the BJP has questioned the leaders of the INDIA alliance, asking why, if they had so many doubts about the election process, they did not file a petition in court or any other legal forum to challenge the results of the elections in Bihar or other states?
