BENGALURU: Echoing Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s allegations over manipulation of electoral rolls, Chief Minister Siddaramaih said despite massive public anger, Narendra Modi returned to power as PM only through electoral fraud.
The BJP hit back at the Congress by questioning why a case wasn’t filed in court within 45 days instead of holding a press conference one year later, terming it as just another drama.
“Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has today exposed, with hard evidence, how widespread vote theft took place across India in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Narendra Modi became Prime Minister by misusing the Election Commission, stealing votes, and abusing power. He has no moral right to stay in office. He must resign and dissolve the government immediately,” the CM posted on social media platform X.
Siddaramaiah said a detailed six-month investigation was conducted into the voter records of Mahadevapura Assembly segment, which falls under the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency. The probe uncovered precise evidence of systematic vote theft, the CM said.
He alleged that in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the BJP misused the Election Commission and illegally secured 1,00,250 votes in Mahadevapura, a constituency with around 3.25 lakh voters, to win the seat. This scam could have been exposed within days of the election if the Election Commission had acted impartially and provided the electronic data and CCTV footage that Rahul Gandhi requested, he said. “This is not a scam limited to Mahadevapura alone, it is now clear that the BJP has used similar vote theft tactics across the country to cling to power,” the CM said.
BJP hits back
Bangalore Central BJP MP PC Mohan said, “Rahul Gandhi drops an ‘atom bomb’ of allegations, but still can’t produce a single explosive proof. If 1,00,250 votes were stolen in Mahadevapura, why wasn’t a case filed in court within 45 days instead of holding a press conference one year later? This is just another drama.”
He said by alleging vote theft in Mahadevapura, Rahul Gandhi has insulted the people of Bengaluru Central, especially thousands of Hindus who voted for the BJP. “Rahul Gandhi is alleging 1,00,250 vote theft in Mahadevapura, a Hindu-dominated seat, not in Shivajinagar, which is minority dominated. When Hindus vote BJP, it’s called fraud. When minorities vote Congress, it’s called secularism. This hypocrisy won’t fool voters anymore,” the BJP MP stated.
Mohan said the BJP didn’t win Mahadevapura through manipulation. “We won because Hindus voted decisively against dynasty, appeasement, and entitlement. Rahul Gandhi must learn: minority-dominated constituencies are not Congress property. The voter is supreme. Accept the mandate,” he said.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said vote theft was started by Congress when Dr BR Ambedkar lost the election by 13,000 votes, whereas 75,000 votes were declared invalid.
The BJP leader said if vote theft had taken place in Karnataka, the Congress would not have won 136 seats in the Assembly elections, and Rahul Gandhi would not have been the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He called Rahul Gandhi an immature politician and not to be taken seriously.