India’s 2024 election faces turmoil as Rahul Gandhi accuses the Election Commission of aiding the BJP’s 240-seat win through massive vote rigging, sparking nationwide outrage and demands for electoral transparency.
Courtesy: BBC News, Delhi
A political earthquake has hit India after opposition parties accused the Election Commission of favouring the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general elections, sparking a furious row over alleged “vote theft.”
The Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi, claims the BJP’s win was aided by large-scale electoral irregularities — including duplicate voters, invalid addresses, and suspicious mass registrations. Gandhi alleges the manipulation cost his party at least 48 seats, and he has demanded that the Election Commission release digital voter rolls for public scrutiny.
In the 543-member Lok Sabha, the BJP secured 240 seats, falling short of its predicted landslide but still emerging as the largest party. Congress won 99 seats, while other opposition parties collectively formed a sizeable bloc, intensifying the standoff.
Tensions spilled into the streets this week. On Monday, Gandhi and dozens of opposition leaders were detained in Delhi as they marched toward the Election Commission headquarters. Parliament was adjourned the next day after uproar from opposition MPs demanding a debate on election integrity.
The Election Commission and the BJP have dismissed the accusations as baseless. The poll body says Congress never formally objected to the electoral roll revisions, while BJP ministers accuse Gandhi of “defaming democracy” and undermining constitutional institutions.
The controversy comes as Bihar undergoes a massive voter roll revision ahead of state elections, with millions of names deleted — an exercise now under Supreme Court scrutiny. Gandhi has warned that the alleged manipulation is “systematic” and nationwide, telling supporters: “Abhi picture baki hai” — the story is not over yet.
