Karnataka CM Accuses Election Commission of Collusion with BJP After Haryana Poll Fraud Claims
Siddaramaiah supports Rahul Gandhi's allegations of 25 lakh fake votes in Haryana elections, demands CEC admit wrongdoing
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has launched a strong attack on the Election Commission of India, accusing it of working with the BJP-led central government to undermine democracy.
His statement came on Wednesday after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that 25 lakh fake entries were found in voter lists during the Haryana assembly elections.
Speaking out on social media platform X, Siddaramaiah praised Gandhi for exposing what he called “systematic electoral malpractice” in India’s election system.
Gandhi’s Allegations
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi held a press conference in New Delhi where he presented detailed evidence to support his claims. He alleged that the Haryana assembly elections were “stolen” through large-scale voter fraud.
According to Gandhi, the manipulation included using fake identities to create fraudulent voter entries. In one shocking example, he claimed that a Brazilian model’s photograph was used 22 times across 10 polling booths in Haryana’s Rai constituency during the 2024 assembly polls.
The Congress leader described this as “Operation Sarkar Chori” – an elaborate plan to convert his party’s expected landslide victory into a defeat.
CM’s Strong Words
Siddaramaiah said the Election Commission, which should protect democracy through fair and transparent elections, has instead joined hands with the Union Government to destroy the democratic system.
“These records demonstrate how the Election Commission has colluded with the Union Government to strangle the very democratic system it is meant to safeguard,” the Chief Minister stated.
He pointed out that Gandhi had previously exposed similar voter fraud in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura and Aland assembly constituencies. Now, the Congress leader has presented evidence of manipulation in Haryana on a much larger scale.
Scale of Alleged Fraud
According to the allegations, over five lakh fake voters were created in Haryana. Additionally, more than one lakh votes were reportedly stolen using tampered or unidentifiable photographs.
“In total, over 25 lakh fraudulent votes were cast in the Haryana Assembly elections – meaning that one out of every eight votes polled was fake,” Siddaramaiah claimed.
He emphasized that almost every pre-election survey had predicted a BJP defeat in Haryana, with people determined to vote out the ruling party. Yet, the BJP secured a majority and formed the government.
Demand for Accountability
The Karnataka CM directly addressed Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, calling on him to stop protecting his “masters” and admit the truth.
“Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar must, at least this time, refrain from attempting to protect his masters. He should admit the truth and atone for his misdeeds through the legal process,” Siddaramaiah said.
He warned that such practices would damage India’s democratic reputation internationally, especially since a Brazilian citizen’s identity was allegedly used for voter fraud.
Previous Allegations
This is not the first time such accusations have been made. In September, Rahul Gandhi had accused the CEC of protecting those who “destroyed democracy” and cited data from Karnataka’s Aland constituency, claiming Congress supporters’ votes were being systematically deleted.
In August, he alleged that over one lakh votes were “stolen” in Bangalore’s Mahadevapura assembly segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Election Commission has not yet responded to these latest allegations.
