'Vote Chori': Telangana CM slams ECI over affidavit demand from Rahul Gandhi

Hyderabad, Aug 18 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday hit out at the Election Commission of India for seeking an affidavit from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the issue of "vote chori", claiming the poll body failed to respond to the questions raised by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for a statue of 17th-century Telangana warrior Sarvai Papanna Goud, Reddy said he, along with Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Congress state president Mahesh Kumar Goud, would soon join Rahul Gandhi in Bihar to express solidarity.

“As many as 65 lakh votes were removed in Bihar ahead of the elections. Rahul Gandhi brought out the details. When he asked the EC why these voters were deleted, the Commission, instead of offering an explanation, demanded an affidavit from him. It was the EC that committed a mistake, yet it is asking Rahul Gandhi for an affidavit,” the CM alleged.

He further said that one crore new voters were added in Maharashtra between the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, raising questions, while in Karnataka, over 1.14 lakh new electors were enrolled in a parliamentary constituency, allegedly helping a BJP candidate win by a margin of one lakh votes in 2024.

Reddy urged people to verify their names in the voters’ list, alleging that those who voted against a particular party (in an apparent reference to the BJP) risked having their names removed.

The chief minister also said that the BC quota bills passed by the state legislature are pending with the Centre for five months and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy take responsibility for clearing them.

He further dared the BJP to remove the reservations for Muslims in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. PTI GDK SSK ADB