Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of “vote theft”, questions legitimacy of MPs

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of winning several parliamentary seats through what he described as “vote theft” and raising concerns over the credibility of its electoral success.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed that a notable portion of BJP Members of Parliament secured their victories through manipulation of the electoral process. He alleged that nearly one in every six BJP MPs benefited from such practices.

In a strongly worded post on social media, Gandhi questioned whether such leaders should be referred to using terms often employed by the BJP for alleged illegal entrants, suggesting the label “ghuspethiya.” He also pointed to Haryana, alleging that the entire state government there lacked legitimacy due to similar practices.

Gandhi further accused key institutions of being influenced and misused to alter voter lists and impact election outcomes. According to him, these actions undermine the democratic process and raise serious questions about fairness in elections.

He argued that the BJP’s electoral strength would significantly decline if polls were conducted transparently. Gandhi claimed that under fair conditions, the party would struggle to secure even 140 seats in Parliament.

A day earlier, he had also criticised the BJP’s recent victories in West Bengal and Assam, calling them a “theft” of the public mandate. He warned that such developments pose a broader threat to democratic values in the country.

Calling for unity among political parties, Gandhi urged leaders to rise above political differences and focus on safeguarding democratic institutions. He emphasised that the issue goes beyond party politics and concerns the future of the nation.

The BJP, which recently defeated the All India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and retained power in Assam, has not issued a detailed response to these allegations so far.