Aaj Tak reporter’s anecdote on ink removal sparks fresh ‘vote chori’ allegations

New Delhi: A brief exchange narrated by an Aaj Tak reporter has triggered a social media storm, after being interpreted by opposition leaders as evidence of widespread voter fraud in the recently concluded Bihar Assembly elections.

The controversy began when Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate posted a video clip on social media, in which the reporter casually recounts a conversation with an unnamed BJP worker in Patna. 

According to the journalist, the worker claimed to have voted twice, once in the city and again in his village, by allegedly removing the indelible ink mark with sap from papaya leaves.

What was presented as a single incident is now being amplified as a symbol of electoral malpractice by sections of the opposition. 

The video has gone viral, with over 438,000 views and thousands of reactions. Shrinate captioned it: “पपीते का पत्ता = बिहार में वोट चोरी” (Papaya leaf = vote theft in Bihar).

पपीते का पत्ता = बिहार में वोट चोरी pic.twitter.com/7TTS3VSFpB

— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) November 15, 2025

How an incident becomes a narrative

The video does not contain any direct confession, identity, or visual proof, only a second-hand account described by the reporter. 

Still, leaders from the INDIA bloc have framed it as indicative of systematic fraud, alleging that the ruling NDA manipulated the electoral process to secure its 155-seat victory.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and RJD, have long alleged that the BJP used voter roll revisions under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program to delete legitimate voters and insert duplicates. 

This video, though anecdotal, has been folded into those broader claims.

While there is no verified evidence yet that the practice described in the video is widespread, the incident reflects how quickly anecdotal material can be weaponised in an already polarised political environment.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared a video on X, implying that her party lost due to ‘vote chori’, based on a single anecdotal incident. Her accusation drew a sharp response from the state's top poll officer, who asked her to provide specific details and warned of legal action against anyone spreading fake news.