Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday rolled out a "'vote chori' hydrogen bomb soon" threat as he ramped up pressure on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the opposition's allegations - that the ruling party and the Election Commission are conspiring to commit voter fraud before the Bihar election.
The opposition has claimed the Election Commission's 'special intensive revision' in Bihar - a re-verification to weed out illegally registered voters and others not eligible to vote in this year's election - is, in fact, an exercise to disenfranchise over 65 lakh people who might have otherwise voted for them.
A legal challenge to the voter list revision is being heard by the Supreme Court.
The BJP hit back swiftly, condemning the Congress leader's statement as "demeaning himself" and insulting the nation's voters. The party also mocked claims Mr Gandhi's rallies had been widely attended, alleging 20,000 'participants' had been brought in from Uttar Pradesh's Deoria.
Former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters, "Whenever I listen to Rahul Gandhi, inside or outside Parliament, it takes time to understand what he is trying to say... How are the atom bomb and the hydrogen bomb related to elections? Rahul Gandhi is irresponsible."
#WATCH | Delhi: BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "Whenever I listen to Rahul Gandhi, inside or outside the Parliament, it takes time to understand what he is trying to say. Today he has said, 'maine atom bomb phoda hai ab mai hydrogen bomb phodunga'... How are the atom bomb and… pic.twitter.com/FU5TJH87sJ
— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2025
This morning, wrapping up his cross-state 'Voter Adhikar' rally in Patna, Mr Gandhi said Bihar had answered the call of the opposition Mahagathbandhan - the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal - by turning out in large numbers and raising the slogan 'vote chor, gaddi chhor'.
"We will not let them (i.e., the BJP) murder the Constitution... that is why we took out the yatra and we got a tremendous response. People came out in large numbers and raised the slogan 'vote chor, gaddi chhor'," Mr Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said.
"The slogan 'vote chor...' is echoing everywhere. It has now reached China also," he said, taking a swipe at the fact Mr Modi is in China today for the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Summit.
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar | Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "There is a new slogan in Bihar, 'Vote chor, gaddi chhodd'...Even in China and the US, people are saying 'Vote chor, gaddi Chhodd'..." pic.twitter.com/9a6OpHCIYK
— ANI (@ANI) September 1, 2025
"I want to tell the BJP people. Have you heard of anything bigger than an atom bomb? It is a hydrogen bomb. BJP people, be ready, a hydrogen bomb is coming," he declared.
"I guaranteeing. After the hydrogen bomb Narendra Modiji won't be able to show his face..."
Led by Mr Gandhi, the opposition, in Bihar and across India, has been targeting the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over 'collusion' with the Election Commission. In theatrical, but powerful, moment this month, he made PowerPoint presentations with data about 'voter fraud'.
READ | Rahul Gandhi's "Voter Fraud" Powerpoint At INDIA Bloc Dinner Meet
One of the claims made was about Bengaluru's Mahadevapura neighbourhood, part of a Lok Sabha seat in the city the Congress was widely expected to win but lost instead.
Mr Gandhi cited poll records showing 80 people living in a one-room house as proof of voter fraud.
READ | "Rahul Gandhi Confused...": '80-Member House' Owner On Vote Fraud Claim
The owner of the house later spoke to NDTV and firmly denied Mr Gandhi's claim.
Today Mr Gandhi referred to those allegations as the 'atom bomb' and warned of more explosive allegations, i.e., the 'hydrogen bomb' to follow. The 'theft of the right to vote', he said, referring to the opposition's take on the Bihar voter list row, is the theft of jobs, education, and democracy.
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