New Delhi | September 18, 2025 — Days after hinting at a “hydrogen bomb” of revelations on alleged electoral malpractice, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on the Election Commission (EC), accusing it of shielding what he called the “destroyers of democracy.” At a press conference in Delhi, Gandhi alleged systematic voter deletions through software-driven manipulation in constituencies across Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations
Citing the example of Karnataka’s Aland Assembly constituency, Gandhi claimed that names of Congress supporters were being deleted from voter rolls using an automated program. He alleged that 6,018 applications impersonating voters had been filed using mobile numbers from outside Karnataka.
“This is not being done by individuals at the local level but through centralised software operations,” Gandhi asserted. He further claimed that the first name on each polling booth list was being systematically targeted for deletion.
To illustrate his point, Gandhi presented on stage a voter whose name had been attempted to be deleted, alongside the individual whose identity was allegedly misused. Both denied any knowledge of the applications.
Rahul Gandhi accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of “protecting vote chors” and demanded that the EC provide, within a week, the information sought by the Karnataka CID in its investigation into voter list anomalies.
Congress Support
Backing his claims, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi urged citizens to carefully examine Rahul Gandhi’s press briefing, alleging that the EC was colluding with the BJP to undermine democratic processes. Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole also supported the allegations, demanding accountability from the poll body.
Election Commission’s Response
The EC dismissed Gandhi’s allegations as “incorrect and baseless.” In an official statement, it clarified that voter deletions cannot be carried out online by the public and require mandatory field verification.
“Allegations made by Rahul Gandhi are misconceived. No deletion of any vote can be done online, and no deletion takes place without giving the affected person an opportunity to be heard,” the poll panel said.
Addressing the Aland case specifically, the Commission noted that it had itself flagged irregularities in 2023 and filed an FIR to probe unsuccessful attempts to manipulate the rolls. The EC also clarified that Aland was won by BJP’s Subhadh Guttedar in 2018 and by Congress’s BR Patil in 2023.
EC sources further described Gandhi’s remarks targeting CEC Gyanesh Kumar as “unfortunate,” pointing out that Kumar had taken charge only six months earlier and could not be held responsible for alleged irregularities reported last year.
BJP Counterattack
BJP leaders launched a strong counteroffensive, dismissing Rahul Gandhi’s claims as politically motivated. Former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Rahul Gandhi neither understands the Constitution nor the law. Since 2014, he has called every victory of Prime Minister Modi fake. This is an insult to the people of India.”
BJP MP Anurag Thakur argued that Gandhi’s remarks were driven by frustration after a string of electoral defeats. “The Congress has lost nearly 90 elections under Rahul Gandhi. His politics of baseless allegations is now a habit,” Thakur said.
Other BJP leaders, including Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Jagdambika Pal, mocked Gandhi’s “hydrogen bomb” remark, calling it a “dud” and accusing him of trying to confuse voters instead of accepting electoral verdicts.
BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya pointed out that despite Rahul Gandhi’s claims of voter manipulation, the Congress had won the Aland seat in 2023. “So, did Congress win by stealing votes?” he asked in a post on X.
Background
The controversy comes against the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent political tensions. Gandhi’s allegations have reignited debate over electoral integrity, with the Congress alleging a systemic attempt to undermine democracy and the BJP insisting that the charges are an attempt to delegitimise electoral outcomes.
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