New Delhi [India], August 8 : Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Friday backed the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's allegations against the Election Commission, calling the 2024 Lok Sabha elections "stolen" from the Opposition.
Speaking to ANI, Tagore alleged that the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is a "stolen government" from the opposition.
"...This is a classic example of how the 2024 elections have been stolen from the Opposition. This Government, run by Mr Modi and Amit Shah, is a stolen Government with 30 more seats...Any neutral Election Commission would have asked that there be a committee, and they would have examined the complaint...But we can't see these things from Gyanesh Kumar because he is not T. N. Seshan. He works for Mr Amit Shah, not the Election Commission of India..." the Congress MP alleged.
He reiterated the demand for a discussion in the Parliament on the matter, citing Rahul Gandhi's recent press conference and presentation to the INDIA bloc leaders.
He said, "Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi did a press conference in Delhi. He also gave a presentation to the INDIA leaders later. He clearly explained the example of Mahadevapura, where in the 8 Assembly segments of Bangalore Central, the BJP lost 7 and only in 1 they were able to manage 1 lakh fake voters and win with a margin of 30,000. This is a classic example of how the 2024 elections have been stolen from the Opposition. This Govt which is run by Mr Modi and Amit Shah is a stolen Govt with 30 more seats...So, we are demanding a discussion in the Parliament..."
The Congress MP also targeted the Election Commission, saying, "This is because Amit Shah's Selected Election Commissioners are using this language. Any neutral Election Commission would have asked that there will be a committee, they would have examined the complaint...But we can't these things from Gyanesh Kumar because he is not T. N. Seshan. He works for Mr Amit Shah, not the Election Commission of India..."
At a press conference on August 7, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were "choreographed" by the EC to benefit the BJP, which he said appeared "immune to anti-incumbency."
Citing internal analysis, Gandhi said the Congress expected to win 16 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 1,00,250 votes.
Presenting Congress's research on voting in the Mahadevapura Assembly in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi alleged "vote chori" (vote theft) of 1,00,250 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 6,58,915, securing a margin of 32,707. But then we look at Mahadevapura, where Congress polls 1,15,586 and BJP polls 2,29,632. Congress wins all Vidhan Sabhas but this one," the Congress leader said.
"We found 1,00,250 votes stolen. Stolen in five different ways. Duplicate voters, fake and invalid addresses, and bulk voters in a single address, on a building with 50-60 people living. But when we go there, no record of those people living there. One family living in that house," he said.