The BJP on Thursday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's "vote chori" charge as "baseless", saying the Congress leader was trying to create "hype" over a media report on differences within the Election Commission, driven by his jealousy toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party’s electoral setbacks.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also called Gandhi "prapanch shiromani (master manipulator)" and alleged that the PPT presentation the Congress leader made at his press conference on Thursday came from unknown and dubious sources.
"All decisions (at the Election Commission) were taken unanimously. There is no evidence that the decisions were taken by majority," Trivedi said.
The BJP leader questioned the authenticity of the report published in the Indian Express, contending that it does not have a comment, even off the record, from the Election Commission or any of the election commissioners.
"What is the basis of the report?" he asked.
Trivedi said Gandhi was merely creating a "hype" over such a media report out of his frustration and jealousy against Prime Minister Modi and also because the Congress was facing electoral setbacks.
"Over the last 70 years, the BJP has risen decade by decade and the Congress has declined decade by decade. It's because Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a leader who is deeply connected to the grassroots.
"Rahul Gandhi zameen se ude hua neta hai ( Rahul Gandhi is a leader who is disconnected from the grassroots)," he said.
"He flies abroad every other month, returns after acquiring knowledge from there and attempts to cite baseless facts," Trivedi added.
The Rajya Sabha MP also hit out at Gandhi over his remarks that he has never seen any political leader not facing anti-incumbency, saying it reflects the Congress leader's lack of knowledge of Indian politics.
The real anti-incumbency is not against the BJP but against the Congress and the Gandhi family, he said, adding that Gandhi perhaps still does not realise that the Congress has been out of power in states such as West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh for the last 30 to 50 years.
"The Congress remained in power for a long time when voter cards did not exist, booth capturing took place and ballot boxes were looted during elections. Till then, there was no anti-incumbency against it," Trivedi said.
"Ever since elections became transparent, central paramilitary forces began replacing local police, CCTV cameras were installed and live coverage of polls was introduced, and an independent media and judiciary came into existence, the Congress has been struggling to return to power," he said.
Trivedi further said that the anti-incumbency is so strong against the Congress under the leadership of the Gandhis that they have to struggle to win their Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress cannot win these two seats without the Samajwadi Party's support, he claimed, alleging that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi won Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala with the support of the Muslim League.
"Truth is that the Congress has been facing greater anti-incumbency since Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi came to the helm of the party. Actually, there is anti-incumbency against the Gandhi family within the Congress."
"Rahul Gandhi should look at the plight of the Congress and become an approver of why his Congress has had to witness such difficult times under his leadership," Trivedi said on the Congress leaders asking Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to become an approver of the alleged wrongdoings in the poll panel.
(With inputs from PTI)