Eknath Shinde slams Rahul Gandhi over voter fraud claims, urges him to take legal route

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday slammed Rahul Gandhi over the Congress leader's remarks on alleged voter list manipulation by the Election Commission and the BJP, reported PTI. While targeting the Congress and Gandhi over the "vote theft" allegations, the deputy CM said, "They should approach the court or the Election Commission if they have proof."

The Shiv Sena leader also asserted, "By making such baseless claims, they [Congress and Rahul Gandhi have insulted the people of Maharashtra."

On Thursday, Gandhi had claimed a "huge criminal fraud" in polls through "collusion" between the BJP and the Election Commission, citing an analysis of voter rolls in a constituency in Karnataka last year.

Furthermore, a day after, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that the Election Commission and the BJP colluded to "steal" the 2024 general elections from the people and that there was "vote theft" in at least three states.

Moreover, Gandhi had also alleged that the 2024 Maharashtra assembly poll results confirmed the Congress's suspicion that the election was 'stolen'.

When the media asked Shinde about the allegations, he, without taking any name, criticised the Opposition for making "wild allegations" in public, reported PTI.

"If they have proof, they should go to the court or the Election Commission. By making such baseless claims, they have insulted the citizens of Maharashtra who elected the Mahayuti (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP), as well as our sisters, brothers, farmers and the people of the state," Shinde further highlighted.

Earlier, Gandhi's charge that "vote chori (vote theft)" is an "atom bomb on our democracy" was promptly responded to by the Chief Electoral Officers of Karnataka and Maharashtra, who requested that the former Congress chief provide the names of electors he claimed were "wrong" in the voters' list, along with a signed declaration. This would enable the poll authorities to initiate the "necessary proceedings" in the matter, the Election Commission officials stated.

While responding to Gandhi's allegations, the poll body on Friday accused the Congress leader of recycling old allegations of poll irregularities settled by the Supreme Court. The EC then further asked the Congress leader to provide a written declaration on his claims about wrongful entries in the voters' list or tender an apology. To this, Gandhi replied, "I'm a politician, and my words are my oath."

(With inputs from PTI)