CM Siddaramaiah Accuses BJP of ‘Vote Theft’, Says PM Modi Has Undermined Independent Institutions
Karnataka CM claims BJP came to power through “unconstitutional means” and that central agencies no longer function independently.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing the party of “stealing votes” and undermining democratic institutions in the country. He alleged that since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, all independent and constitutional bodies have been weakened and made subservient to the central government.
Speaking at an event to mark the Congress’s signature campaign against alleged “vote theft,” Siddaramaiah claimed that the BJP has become “experts” in manipulating elections. “BJP are not only experts in lying lies are their home deity — but they have also mastered the art of vote theft. It has become their profession,” he said.
The Chief Minister alleged that the BJP has used unfair means to gain power both at the Centre and in several states. Referring to claims made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said there is evidence of irregularities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Haryana, and even alleged that some voters had cast ballots in both Delhi and Bihar — a clear violation of constitutional provisions.
Criticising the Election Commission, Siddaramaiah accused it of failing to act on the complaints raised by the Congress. “The Commission is behaving irresponsibly and not in accordance with the Constitution. It is functioning under the influence of the central government,” he said, adding that institutions like the CBI, ED, and Income Tax Department have also lost their independence under the Modi government.
The Chief Minister said the Congress launched a signature campaign to “protect democracy, the Constitution, and independent institutions.” So far, over 1.12 crore signatures have been collected across Karnataka, he added. The first set of signatures will be sent to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) by November 10, which will then forward them to President Droupadi Murmu and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said signatures were collected from all 224 Assembly constituencies and 40 organisational districts. “Our workers have shown great commitment to this campaign. Except for a few areas, the participation has been very strong,” he said.
He also announced that the collected signatures would be sent to Delhi on November 10 and that a massive rally would be held at Ramlila Maidan on November 25 to highlight the issue. The campaign will continue in areas where participation was lower, he added.
The controversy follows Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s earlier allegations that votes of Congress supporters were being “systematically deleted” from voter lists. He had also claimed that over one lakh votes were “stolen” in the Mahadevapura assembly segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
