- Rahul Gandhi alleged voter fraud in Mahadevapura segment during 2024 Lok Sabha election
- Union Minister Pralhad Joshi blamed Congress-led Karnataka government for any poll irregularities
- Congress leader KN Rajanna was dropped after criticising his own party over alleged irregularities
Mocking the Congress-led protests against alleged voter fraud as "childish", Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has said the Congress was in power in Karnataka during the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the responsibility of any irregularity in the polls lies with its administration.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, has alleged massive voter fraud in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central parliamentary seat and accused the Election Commission of colluding with the ruling BJP. Mr Gandhi yesterday led a huge march to the Election Commission office in Delhi. Top leaders of the INDIA bloc were detained as police blocked the protest rally.
Asked about the government's take on these allegations and protests, he told NDTV, "How childish it is. In 2023, they won 136 seats (in Karnataka). At that time, they did not remember."
Mr Joshi, a prominent face of the BJP in Karnataka, pointed out that the Congress ruled Karnataka during the 2024 polls. "Even though the election commission works from Delhi, it is the district administration that implements and executes everything. The Election Commission in the district means DC (Deputy Commissioner) or DM (District Magistrate). So, why didn't they see? The government was theirs."
Mr Joshi then referred to Congress leader KN Rajanna, who was dropped as Karnataka minister yesterday after he said the Congress government in the state should "feel ashamed" because the alleged irregularities happened under their watch.
"The same question has been asked by their minister, a senior politician, and he was removed. Rahul Gandhi did a press meet, and he was asked to file a complaint under oath. Why didn't he do it?" Mr Joshi said. "What did he (KN Rajanna) say wrong? He said it was their government and they should have been alert. Look at Congress's mentality and the arrogance of this fake Gandhi family."
"Rahul Gandhi has said one particular person has voted twice. The Election Commission asked him to give details. He has not given. He has claimed one person is enrolled here, in Maharashtra and Lucknow: Aditya Srivastava. That is being denied flatly with proof by the commission. But in spite of that, the commission has asked him to give the written complaint. Why is he not ready if he is confident?"
On the protests and the face-off between Opposition leaders and Delhi cops yesterday, Mr Joshi said, "Thirty people were permitted to meet the Election Commission. Do you want to take 300-400 people and create lawlessness? What is your intention? If you are serious about your allegation, then when the Election Commission calls you inside, why are you not going for a discussion? Why are you not submitting documents?"
"They tell lies, make allegations and then run. Whenever the Congress loses, especially under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, first they said about EVMs, then the Election Commissioner and now this," he said. "The problem is very simple, the party is losing under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, so he feels why the people are not giving him a chance. Then ask the people. Such agitations won't work. People have not taken him seriously. It is not my party's mistake," Mr Joshi said.
