Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday backed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of “vote theft,” urging that the issues raised be examined with utmost seriousness. Sharing Rahul Gandhi’s video detailing how the “Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat was stolen,” Tharoor stressed, “These are serious matters that demand urgent attention in the interest of every party and every voter.”
He warned that India’s democracy was “too precious to have its credibility eroded by incompetence, negligence, or worse — deliberate manipulation,” and called on the Election Commission to act swiftly and keep the public informed.
Tharoor’s remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi held a press conference presenting what he called “concrete evidence” of large-scale electoral fraud, accusing the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP to secure the ruling party’s victory.
The intervention also marked a notable shift in Tharoor’s recent public positioning, after months in which his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and criticism of the Emergency era under Indira Gandhi had drawn flak from within Congress and been seized upon by the BJP to attack the party.
BJP slams Rahul over poll fraud allegations; asks to share declaration
BJP leader Amit Malviya hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his poll fraud allegations, urging him to submit a declaration naming the ineligible voters he claims are on the electoral rolls to substantiate his charges.
Malviya questioned Gandhi’s reluctance for not submitting the declaration and termed latter’s conduct as “reckless and harmful to our democracy.”
Taking to X, the in-charge of BJP IT cell, Malviya said, “For his own credibility, Rahul Gandhi must submit, under Declaration/Oath, the names of ineligible electors he claims are on the voter list, as required under Rule 20(3)(b) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.”
He added, “If he fails to do so, it will be crystal clear that he has no real case and was indulging in political theatre, only to obfuscate facts, plant doubts in people’s minds, and tarnish the image of a constitutional body entrusted with free and fair elections. Such conduct is reckless and harmful to our democracy.”
Rahul levels serious allegations of electoral manipulations
Addressing a press conference, Gandhi had leveled allegations of electoral manipulation against the Election Commission and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the poll panel colluded with the BJP to steal elections. He cited discrepancies in voter lists and sudden spikes in voting patterns.
The Karnataka CEO asked Gandhi to sign and return a declaration under oath in a proforma enclosed in the letter, along with the names of electors, to initiate necessary proceedings
The Congress leader had claimed there was “vote chori” of 1,00,250 votes in a constituency with 11,965 duplicate voters in one assembly segment, 40,009 voters with fake and invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters or single address voters, 4,132 voters with invalid photos, and 33,692 voters misusing Form 6 of new voters.
The LoP in the Lok Sabha had earlier also alleged that the ECI was “compromised” and claimed that there were irregularities in the Maharashtra assembly elections. He cited a statistically impossible surge in voter turnout within a short period as evidence of electoral manipulation. The ECI had refuted these claims, stating that the electoral rolls were updated with minimal contestation.
The CEO’s request to Rahul Gandhi is seen as a move to verify the authenticity of his allegations. By asking Gandhi to substantiate his claims under oath, the CEO aims to determine whether the allegations are based on facts or are mere speculation.
Gandhi has been vocal about his concerns regarding the electoral process, alleging that the system is vulnerable to manipulation. He has pointed to instances of alleged electoral irregularities, including fake voters, inflated voter turnout, and bogus voting.
The Election Commission has maintained that the electoral process is transparent and that the allegations made by Gandhi are unfounded. The poll body has also emphasised that the electoral rolls are updated regularly, and any claims or objections are thoroughly investigated.