Congress’ MVA partners back Rahul Gandhi’s vote manipulation charge

Mumbai, Nov 5 (PTI) The NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday sided with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who accused the Election Commission of helping the BJP win the 2024 Haryana assembly polls.

Baramati MP and NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule and Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray cited a presentation by Gandhi to target the EC. Both parties are partners of the Congress in the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra.

Sule said Gandhi has presented “shocking details of irregularities in the electoral rolls”. Talking to reporters here, she said the “expose” is data-driven and journalists should also verify it on their own.

“How will the Election Commission stop duplicate entries in the voter rolls and voting? The Haryana voter roll also had a non-resident as a voter,” she said.

The 2024 Haryana assembly polls were "stolen", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Wednesday, citing electoral roll data to claim that 25 lakh entries were fake and the Election Commission colluded with the BJP to ensure its victory.

The NCP (SP) leader questioned the need for the Maharashtra State Election Commission to hold local body polls without “rectifying” the electoral rolls.

“Due to advanced technology, the voter rolls could have been corrected in a month, and elections could have been conducted in January 2026. What was the hurry,” she asked.

Elections in 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats in Maharashtra will take place on December 2, and votes will be counted on December 3, State Election Commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said on Tuesday.

Sule said their local units will decide if NCP (SP) will contest the local polls on its own or in alliance.

Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said the issue raised by Gandhi was not about party politics but the “value of every Indian’s vote”.

“Once again, Rahul Gandhi has exposed the Election Commission’s fraud that helps the BJP capture states via vote theft. The world is watching how our elections are no longer free and fair anymore… with proof,” Thackeray said in a post on X.

He said every citizen, irrespective of political ideology, should watch Gandhi’s presentation. “This is about the value of your vote, which turns to zero because the Election Commission allows one political party to ensure fraudulent or fake voters are in the list,” he alleged.

Thackeray said the Sena (UBT) had earlier raised the issue of “voter list manipulation” in Maharashtra. “Just a few days ago, we exposed voter fraud in Worli and other constituencies of Maharashtra. We held huge protests, but the Election Commission refuses to act,” he said.

The Haryana election was stolen by adding fraudulent voters and not giving a fair voice to the real people of the state, said the leader, who represents the Worli assembly constituency here.

“This fight is for free and fair elections across India — for democracy and our Constitution,” Thackeray said, adding, “Vote chor, gaddi chodh (vote thief, vacate power).” During his presentation "The H-files" in New Delhi, Gandhi said the 'centralised plan' included a Brazilian model whose photograph was used 22 times in 10 booths in Haryana's Rai assembly constituency using names such as "Seema, Sweety and Saraswati" for her. PTI MR NR