Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday described the BJP’s victory in the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam as a "theft" of the mandate, alleging that it marked a major step in the saffron party’s mission to "destroy" Indian democracy.
He urged those gloating over the loss of Mamata Banerjee's party to put petty politics aside.
"Some in the Congress, and others, are gloating about TMC's loss.
They need to understand this clearly - the theft of Assam and Bengal's mandate is a big step forward by the BJP in its mission to destroy Indian democracy," Gandhi said in a post on X.
"Put petty politics aside. This is not about one party or another. This is about India," he said in his post.
He also said he agreed with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, claiming that “more than 100 seats were stolen” in the state.
“Assam and Bengal are clear cases of the election being stolen by the BJP with the support of the EC. We agree with Mamata ji. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal,” Gandhi posted on X.
The Congress leader further alleged that similar patterns had been seen in earlier elections, citing Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and the 2024 general election.
His remarks came after Mamata Banerjee also made strong allegations against the Election Commission, saying the BJP had “looted more than 100 seats” and calling the EC “the BJP’s commission.”
The BJP ousted Trinamool Congress from power in Bengal and captured power for the third time in a row in Assam in results of assembly polls declared on Monday.
The BJP stormed to power in West Bengal with 206 seats in the 294-member Assembly, crossing a two-thirds majority and ending the TMC's 15-year rule in the state. The result marks the BJP’s first-ever formation of government in West Bengal and signals a decisive realignment of the state’s political and ideological centre.
(With inputs from PTI)
