New Delhi [India], August 10 : Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday doubled down on his claims of "vote chori" during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and noted that a "clean" voter roll is imperative for free and fair elections.
The Congress MP linked his stand to a fight to "protect" democracy.
"Vote Chori is an attack on the foundational idea of 'one man, one vote'. A clean voter roll is imperative for free and fair elections. Our demand from the EC is clear - be transparent and release digital voter rolls so that people and parties can audit them. This fight is to protect our democracy," the Congress MP posted on X.
Meanwhile, the Congress party said that it will hold a meeting of its general secretaries, in-charges, and frontal organisation heads on August 11 to discuss a nationwide campaign against "voter list manipulation and election fraud.
"The party is also opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, along with other partners of the INDIA bloc."Just as Bapu gave us the 'Do or Die' call during the Quit India movement, we today must embark upon a similar do-or-die mission to save Indian democracy. To discuss the party's further nationwide campaign against voter list manipulation and election fraud, as exposed by LOP Sh. @RahulGandhi ji, a meeting of AICC General Secretaries, In-charges, and Frontal Organisation Heads will be held on 11th August at 4:30 PM at 24 Akbar Road, presided over by INC President Sh. Mallikarjun @kharge ji," Congress general secretary KC Venugopal wrote in a post on X on Friday.
On August 7, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference, citing internal analysis. The LoP stated that the Congress expected to win 16 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka but ended up with only nine.
He said the Congress investigated seven unexpected losses, zeroing in on Mahadevapura, where he alleged vote theft involving 100,250 votes. Presenting Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 100,250 votes.
"Our internal polling told us we would win 16 seats in Karnataka; we won nine. We then focused on seven unexpected losses. We focused on Mahadevapur... All data is 2024 data from the Election Commission; the total votes polled in the Lok Sabha were 6.26 lakhs. The BJP won with 658,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 115,586 and BJP polls 229,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one," the Congress leader said.
"We found 100,250 votes stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, in a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, there is no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he said.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday has again asked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi to either give a declaration as per the rules or apologise to the country for his "false" allegations regarding the voter lists.
"Rahul Gandhi should either give a Declaration as per rules or apologise to the country for his false allegations," ECI said in a statement.