Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday backed Congress parliamentarian Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of large-scale voter fraud and his claim that the Election Commission (EC) aided the BJP in “capturing states through vote theft”, news agency PTI reported.
Thackeray said Gandhi’s concerns were not about party politics but about safeguarding “the value of every Indian’s vote”.
“Once again, Rahul Gandhi has exposed the Election Commission’s fraud that helps the BJP capture states through vote theft. The world is watching how our elections are no longer free and fair, and this time, with proof,” Thackeray wrote on X.
He urged citizens across political lines to watch Gandhi’s presentation, stating, “This is about the value of your vote, which becomes meaningless when the Election Commission allows one political party to include fake or fraudulent voters in the list.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Gandhi alleged that last year’s Haryana Assembly polls were “stolen”, citing voter list data that reportedly showed 25 lakh fake entries. He accused the EC of colluding with the BJP to ensure its victory, presenting evidence that included a “Brazilian model’s” photograph, allegedly used 22 times across 10 booths in the Rai Constituency during the 2024 elections.
Thackeray said the Shiv Sena (UBT) had previously raised similar concerns about “voter list manipulation” in Maharashtra.
“Just days ago, we exposed voter fraud in Worli and other constituencies. We held massive protests, but the Election Commission refused to act,” he stated.
Calling the issue a fight for democracy, Thackeray added, “The Haryana election was stolen by adding fraudulent voters and silencing genuine voices. This fight is for free and fair elections across India, for our democracy and Constitution. Vote chor, gaddi chodh (vote thief, vacate power).”
Bihar Election 2025: Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of keeping youth distracted with social media reels
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, alleging that he wants India’s youth to stay distracted by social media instead of focusing on crucial issues like education, healthcare, and employment, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing rallies in Aurangabad and Gaya districts of Bihar, Gandhi accused the PM of encouraging an “addiction” to Instagram and Facebook to keep the young generation preoccupied.
Gandhi said, “Modi wants you to stay hooked on reels and social media, that’s the new intoxication of the 21st century. He prefers a distracted youth that doesn’t question his government on unemployment, education, or healthcare.”
He further claimed that Modi often boasts about providing cheap internet data but hides the fact that major telecom companies profit from it, PTI reported.
Targeting the NDA, Gandhi alleged that PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were engaging in “vote theft” in Bihar, fearing electoral defeat.
“Modi talks about ending ‘jungle raj’, but the real jungle raj is in Delhi; he has enabled vote theft in Maharashtra and Haryana, and now he wants to repeat it in Bihar. But the people will stop him,” he declared.
Calling vote manipulation an “assault on the Constitution”, Gandhi said that if the founding principles of Ambedkar and Nehru are not upheld, India will be “held hostage by big business houses.”
He mocked Modi for allegedly staging photo-ops, referencing the Chhath Puja controversy: “Had the media not revealed that he was standing in a puddle of clean water, Modi would have claimed to bathe in the Yamuna.”
(With PTI inputs)
