Following serious accusations against the Election Commission regarding alleged voting irregularities and illegitimate vote counts, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed the ‘Vote Adhikaar Rally’ held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday. The rally, attended by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar, and other party leaders, was organized to protest alleged vote manipulation. During the rally, Gandhi emphasized that the party’s actions against the EC are aimed at safeguarding the constitution, highlighting its protection of every citizen’s right to vote. He cited concerns regarding discrepancies in the Lok Sabha and subsequent state assembly elections, specifically pointing to a surge of new voters in Maharashtra as a cause for alarm. Gandhi reiterated his claim of ‘vote theft,’ stating that justice would be served to those involved in the ‘scam.’ Earlier, Gandhi alleged that over 100,000 ‘fake votes’ were created in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment to benefit the BJP, accusing the Election Commission of colluding with the BJP to secure Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term. He presented detailed evidence of the alleged fraud at the Congress headquarters in Delhi, suggesting that similar tactics may have been used in other constituencies. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah echoed Gandhi’s sentiments, calling for protests to protect the right to vote, citing a pattern of manipulation in the 2024 elections.
