The BJP slammed Rahul Gandhi for once again coming up with theories of irregularities in the electoral list. BJP Mumbai president Ameet Satam claimed that instead of introspecting on the reason for the party`s loss in the polls, Rahul is blaming irregularities in the voter list. “This is not going to help the Congress,” Satam said while speaking to the media.
On Thursday, in a veiled attack on the BJP, Rahul fired a fresh salvo against the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “shielding those trying to bulldoze democracy”. “The poll panel is shielding vote thieves,” Gandhi claimed during his conference, which aimed to expose flaws in the electoral list and how manipulation was done during the polls through the addition and deletion of voters.
BJP leader Ameet Satam. PIC/INSTAGRAM/@ameet.satam
Within a few hours of the allegation levelled by the Leader of Opposition in the Union government, BJP reacted to the development. Speaking to the media in Mumbai, Satam said, “The allegations are baseless. This is nothing but an attempt by Congress leaders to spread a fake narrative.”
Even Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (of Shiv Sena) took a dig at Congress leaders. “They (read as Rahul Gandhi) only make allegations, but don’t substantiate them with evidence. The ECI had asked Rahul Gandhi to give proof and an affidavit. But still, they have not done so,” Shinde said.
Earlier, in August, Rahul had made similar allegations of voter manipulation during the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Then he had obtained data from the ECI and accused the commission of indulging in irregularities — charges that the ECI office denied.
Meanwhile, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP has come out in support of Rahul Gandhi. NCP (SP) spokesperson, Clyde Crasto, termed the allegations serious and maintained that the ECI does not seem to have any valid answers. “To present facts before the people of India, an independent probe is needed in this entire case,” Crasto said.
Reacting to the developments Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that everyone was wondering what kind of hydrogen bomb Rahul Gandhi was talking about. “It turned out to be a dud bomb,” Fadnavis said, calling Gandhi a “serial liar”.
