Rahul Gandhi had accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of shielding "vote thieves" and those undermining democracy. He cited data from a Karnataka assembly constituency to allege that the votes of Congress supporters were being systematically deleted in the run-up to elections
Ajit Pawar-led NCP's Maharashtra president, Sunil Tatkare. File Pic
Ajit Pawar-led NCP's Maharashtra president, Sunil Tatkare, on Thursday dismissed Rahul Gandhi's renewed allegations of "vote theft" as "childish," asserting that voters are well-informed and capable of seeing through the narrative being pushed by the Congress leader and the opposition INDIA bloc.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the NCP's 'Chintan Shibir' in Nagpur, an event expected to be attended by the party's top leaders and office-bearers, Tatkare claimed that the Congress was making such accusations out of frustration, unable to accept its "massive defeat" in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, according to the news agency PTI.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of shielding "vote thieves" and those undermining democracy. He cited data from a Karnataka assembly constituency to allege that the votes of Congress supporters were being systematically deleted in the run-up to elections.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in Delhi that his revelations today were another milestone in demonstrating to the youth of this country how elections are being rigged.
Responding to a query about the Congress leader's allegations against the Election Commission, Tatkare said, "Rahul Gandhi is certainly the LoP, but he does not have the knowledge of booth-level (poll process) and his statements are very childish," reported news agency PTI.
Whenever a voters' list in every booth gets ready, the EC gives time for the registration of new voters and invites suggestions and objections before the final list is published. Accordingly, booth-level and block-level officers of every party go through these lists, the Lok Sabha member from Raigad said.
"I think when these lists are examined at the booth level, then levelling such allegations is not good," he added, reported PTI.
He alleged that the opposition party was satisfied with its performance in last year's Lok Sabha elections, but was not able to digest its huge defeat in the state assembly elections.
"Therefore, they are bringing out such 'vote chori' allegations. But voters are knowledgeable enough to understand the narrative being set by the INDIA bloc and Rahul Gandhi," Tatkare said.
When asked about the crop losses suffered by farmers in the state due to excessive rain and flooding, he said the NCP has taken the issue very seriously.
"NCP's stand is that the cabinet should ask for a report on the crop losses and take a proper decision in the interest of the affected farmers," he said, reported PTI.
On the appointment of heads to various development corporations in the state from the Mahayuti allies, Tatkare said that a coordination committee of the ruling alliance has been formed to decide on it.
"We have decided that the appointments to the development corporations will be done based on the number each party has. A meeting of the coordination committee is expected to take place on Tuesday to discuss it. A draft will then be prepared and given to all three chief leaders of the ruling parties, and a decision will be made," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
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