UP Congress holds rally against BJP’s electoral malpractices

The Congress on Sunday organised a massive protest rally titled “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhor” (Vote Thieves, Vacate Power) at Ramleela Maidan in Biswan, Sitapur, against the alleged electoral malpractices by the BJP-led government at the Centre.

The rally was organised as part of a nationwide campaign against what the party claims is a systematic undermining of democracy under the current BJP-led government.

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Addressing the gathering, AICC General Secretary and UP in-charge, Avinash Pandey, emphasised that the right to vote enshrined in the Indian Constitution guarantees equal rights for all citizens. “The BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission, is orchestrating large-scale voter fraud. In several households, over 200 fake voters have been registered. Moreover, the names of voters suspected to be opposition supporters are being deliberately removed. This is not just a fraud—it is the murder of democracy,” Pandey said.

In his address, UPCC chief Ajay Rai alleged that both the central and state governments were elected through vote theft. “Even the Prime Minister won his own seat unfairly. The Election Commission gave no updates on the Varanasi seat. The website was down from 1:30 PM and only resumed at 5 PM—just in time to announce the BJP’s victory,” he claimed. He also accused the BJP of selling off institutions and industries established during the Congress era.

The rally in Sitapur marks the conclusion of the second phase of the Congress party’s nationwide anti-fraud campaign, which began on August 22.

The campaign was initiated in response to a press conference held by Rahul Gandhi on August 7, where he revealed significant irregularities in the voter list of a Karnataka assembly constituency, calling into question the integrity of India’s electoral system.

On August 11, the INDIA bloc MPs marched to the Election Commission office demanding accountability, only to be detained by police—an act the Congress says reveals the government’s intent to suppress democratic dissent.

Earlier, on August 14, the first phase of the movement saw candlelight marches at district headquarters nationwide, and a 1,300-km “Voter Rights Yatra” in Bihar led by Rahul Gandhi himself.

The event in Sitapur on Sunday was also addressed by senior Congress leaders, including former minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, former MLAs Meeta Gautam and Indal Rawat, Dr. Pramod Kumar Pandey, and District Congress President Mamta Verma.

Sitapur Lok Sabha MP Rakesh Rathore hosted the event, which witnessed participation from thousands of party workers, local leaders, and members of the public.

With growing public support and ongoing protests, the Congress party has vowed to continue its campaign until electoral transparency is restored and democratic values are upheld.