The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a strong counterattack on Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, following his serious allegations that the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections were rigged. Reacting to his claims, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said, "A leader of the opposition who uses such language is not fit to hold that post."
Sinha, speaking from Ayodhya during a two-day visit, accused Gandhi of undermining constitutional institutions while pretending to uphold them. "They carry the Constitution book in hand and yet raise doubts about constitutional institutions. This reflects their mindset. They do not truly believe in the Constitution or its institutions," he said.
In Bettiah, BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal also criticized Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, accusing them of shifting blame instead of introspection. "Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav always deny the truth. In the seats they win, they think it's due to their merit. Where they lose, they blame the Election Commission. Instead of learning from their mistakes, they keep making baseless accusations," said Jaiswal.
The controversy erupted after Rahul Gandhi alleged that the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls were a "blueprint for rigging democracy." In a detailed article shared on social media, Gandhi outlined what he called a five-step conspiracy, beginning with manipulating the panel that appoints the Election Commission.
According to him, the process included:
- Rigging the panel for appointing the Election Commission
- Adding fake voters to the roll
- Inflating voter turnout
- Targeting bogus voting in key constituencies
- Hiding the evidence
Calling it “match-fixing,” Gandhi wrote, “The side that cheats might win the game, but it damages institutions and destroys public faith in the result.” He warned that the same model could be replicated in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, and possibly in other states where the BJP fears defeat. "Match-fixed elections are a poison for any democracy," Gandhi cautioned.
