BJP, JD-U slam Rahul over his criticism of Election Commission

The BJP and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Friday criticized Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi for targeting the Election Commission, and said he was engaging in “desperate and destructive politics”.

The Election Commission also rejected Gandhi’s charge of “vote theft” during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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“Every day, Rahul Gandhi targets a new state. He is insulting the voters of Karnataka by questioning their choice. What makes it worse is that during the Lok Sabha elections, it was his own party’s government – Siddaramaiah’s administration – that oversaw the revision of electoral rolls.

“The officials involved were his own, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners. The entire administrative machinery was under his party’s control. It is truly unfortunate that the LoP is stooping to such a low level,” BJP MP and former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Similar views were expressed by Karnataka BJP president and MLA B Y Vijayendra, who questioned Gandhi’s claims, asking how the Congress managed to come to power in the state if the Centre had misused the Election Commission.

“Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Centre and the BJP misused the Election Commission to commit irregularities during the Lok Sabha elections. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar have also endorsed Rahul Gandhi’s views. The Congress party, facing repeated defeats, has become desperate.

“The Election Commission is a constitutional institution. Casting suspicion on such a body is both an insult and a threat to democracy,” Vijayendra told reporters in Bengaluru.

“I want to ask Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar — if the Election Commission was truly misused, how did the Congress come to power in Karnataka with 136 MLAs? If the Centre and BJP had misused the Election Commission, would Mr. Siddaramaiah have become Chief Minister? Would Mr Shivakumar have become Deputy Chief Minister?” he further questioned.

Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP spokesperson, also commented on Gandhi’s remarks, saying, “After suffering losses in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi, Rahul Gandhi is now dreading a complete wipeout in Bihar. Their own internal surveys suggest that the NDA is heading for a landslide victory, possibly crossing 200 seats. This fear is driving their rhetoric. Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul Gandhi, and the Mahagathbandhan are even contemplating boycotting elections, which reveals their lack of confidence.”

JD-U also slammed the former Congress president on the issue, saying the party supports the Election Commission.

“The Election Commission has rejected not only Rahul Gandhi’s claims but also similar allegations by Tejashwi Yadav. We fully support the Election Commission. It has carried out its responsibilities effectively and impartially. To question the credibility of such an institution without evidence is deeply irresponsible,” party’s senior leader Madan Sahni told newspersons.

Gandhi has been critical of the EC for a long time accusing the poll penal of not discharging its duties properly in connection with elections and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.

“I want to send a message to the Election Commission: If you think you are going to get away with it, if your officers think they are going to get away with it, you are mistaken. You are not going to get away with it, because we are going to come for you,” he told media persons outside Parliament, just after the Lok Sabha was adjourned.