'I always had a suspicion...Then, something happened in Maha': Rahul on alleged electoral malpractices

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that one crore new voters were added between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra, claiming most of those votes went to the BJP, part of what he described as a broader electoral malpractice enabled by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Speaking at the Annual Legal Conclave 2025 in Delhi, Gandhi said, “ I always had a suspicion that there was something wrong, right from 2014... I had a suspicion in the Gujarat Assembly elections already. This ability to win sweeping victories. Congress Party doesn't get a single seat in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, this was surprising to me... Whenever we spoke, people said, where's the proof? Then, something happened in Maharashtra. In the Lok Sabha, we won the election. And then 4 months later, we didn't just lose, we were obliterated. Three formidable parties suddenly just evaporated. We started to look seriously for electoral malpractice. We found it in Maharashtra, 1 crore new voters show up between Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. Bulk of those votes go to the BJP... Now I say with absolutely no doubt that we have proof...”

The remarks come days after Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission, accusing it of facilitating "vote theft" to benefit the BJP. He alleged that the Congress party has “open-and-shut proof” of the malpractice, and warned that its revelations would be as explosive as an “atom bomb.”

Talking to reporters on the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the Congress said, "Votes are being stolen. We have open-and-shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in this vote theft. And I'm not saying this lightly, I'm speaking with 100% proof. And when we release it (proof), the entire country will come to know that the Election Commission is enabling vote theft. And who are they doing it for? They're doing it for the BJP."

Gandhi said that the findings of an investigation by the Congress amount to nothing short of an "atom bomb," with implications severe enough to shake the very foundations of the ECI.

"We had suspicion of voter theft, and we got into its granularity. Since the Election Commision was not helpful in the investigation, we did our own. It took six months, and the things we found are an 'Atom Bomb' and when this atom bomb explodes, you won't see the Election Commission in the country," he added.

Gandhi warned that the findings are explosive and will have severe implications for the ECI, and warned ECI officials involved in the alleged malpractice that they will face consequences, even if they are retired. He described their actions as "no less than treason".

"Most importantly, whoever in the Elections Commission is involved in this exercise, right from top to bottom, we will not spare you. You are working against India, and this is no less than treason. Wherever you are, even if you are retired, we will find you," said the Lok Sabha LoP.

In response to the allegation, the Election Commission of India rejected the opposition claims of vote theft ahead of the Bihar elections, calling them baseless and irresponsible.