Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday strongly refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections were “rigged,” saying the remarks insult the people of the state.
Fadnavis accused Gandhi of “insulting” voters and undermining democratic institutions. “He has insulted voters and ladki bahins (beneficiaries of a women’s welfare scheme). I condemn his statement,” he told reporters, according to news agency.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi, who currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, took to social media platform X to reiterate claims made in a newspaper article authored by him.
He alleged that last year’s Maharashtra elections were a “blueprint for rigging democracy” and warned that a similar strategy could be used in the upcoming Bihar polls.
“How to steal an election? Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy. My article shows how this happened, step by step,” Gandhi wrote.
In his post, Gandhi alleged a five-step process: “Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission, Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll, Step 3: Inflate voter turnout, Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where BJP needs to win, Step 5: Hide the evidence.”
He compared election rigging to match-fixing, stating, “The side that cheats might win the game but damages institutions and destroys public faith in the result.” He also urged citizens to evaluate the situation independently, saying the issue goes to the core of Indian democracy.
In response, Fadnavis advised Gandhi to “wake up” and understand the ground reality of the Congress party’s declining fortunes. “Unless and until Rahul Gandhi understands the ground-level facts and stops lying to himself and giving false comfort and promises, his party will never win,” he said.
Calling Gandhi “habitual” in making baseless allegations, Fadnavis claimed the Election Commission had previously debunked similar assertions with evidence and statistics showing increased voter participation in recent polls.
“He doesn’t know what he is saying. People listening to him don’t understand what he says. I feel there is no need to react,” said the senior BJP leader.
Fadnavis further stated that by continuously casting aspersions on the democratic process, Gandhi was not only harming institutions but also alienating the electorate.
He suggested that the Congress leader focus on grassroots work rather than indulging in what he described as misinformation campaigns.
Gandhi’s claims have triggered strong political reactions as the country prepares for upcoming assembly elections, with both camps accusing each other of damaging democratic credibility.
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