New Delhi [India], October 13 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a sharp counterattack against the opposition, highlighting the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) sweeping electoral wins in recent local body and rural polls across Rajasthan and Tripura.
Addressing the media, the Union Home Minister pointed to the grassroot performance of the ruling alliance as a direct rebuke to critics; Shah underlined the party’s dominance in civic governance structures.
Detailing the electoral metrics from Rajasthan, Shah said, "The Bharatiya Janata Party also achieved a resounding victory in the local body elections held in Rajasthan. The BJP captured 90% of the municipal corporations, 66% of the municipal councils, and 65% of the municipalities.”
Expanding his critique, the Home Minister asserted that these local electoral outcomes deliver a clear political message to Congress leadership regarding voter confidence.
He added, “These elections serve as a lesson for Rahul Gandhi; notably, the Aam Aadmi Party forfeited its security deposit in over 85% of the wards in Rajasthan.”
Shifting focus to regional governance trends in Tripura, Shah contrasted the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) performance with that of the opposition in remote council segments.
“I also wish to inform Rahul Gandhi that in the village committee elections held in Tripura, the NDA succeeded in winning approximately 4,000 seats, securing 3,248 seats and another 900 seats with a total vote share of 77.5%, whereas the Congress party managed to win only 14 out of the 4,600 seats," Amit Shah said.
The remarks came a day after INDIA bloc leaders and supporters, led by Rahul Gandhi, marched through Barakhamba Road towards the Supreme Court of India on Monday, over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Earlier today, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday branded Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi as the "biggest red flag" for the Congress party, challenging him to answer 10 questions regarding SIR, the electoral process, and claims of vote theft.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Goyal accused him of repeatedly causing electoral setbacks for his party. Challenging Gandhi to respond to a set of 10 questions, Goyal accused the Congress party of hypocrisy when questioning election authorities.
"I challenge Rahul Gandhi to answer these 10 questions. Several people consider Rahul Gandhi the biggest red flag because of whom the Congress is losing again and again. Youth calls bad omen, a red flag. Rahul Gandhi is the biggest red flag for Congress," he said.
He added that Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also praised the Election Commission for handling the West Bengal elections fairly and impartially, opposing Mamata Banerjee’s wrong actions.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Registry has flagged 14 defects in the writ petition filed by Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and nine other INDIA bloc leaders challenging aspects of the ECI's ongoing SIR drive.