Fast Summary
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh for a two-day programme, interacting with party workers and reviewing developmental projects.
- At Lucknow’s airport, Gandhi was received by Congress state president Ajai Rai and other senior leaders.
- Gandhi emphasized the slogan “vote chor, gaddi chhod” (vote thief, vacate your seat of power), alleging electoral irregularities in multiple states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar.
- In Maharashtra Assembly elections post-Lok Sabha polls: 1 crore new voters were allegedly added into the system with most voting for BJP while Congress-NCP-Sena votes supposedly remained unchanged. The Election Commission reportedly refused to hand over voter data to investigate this claim.
- In Karnataka’s Bengaluru Central constituency: Congress workers claimed finding of 2 lakh fake voters after months-long scrutiny of one Assembly segment.
- Similar issues were alleged in Bihar where some living individuals were reportedly struck off the voter list as deceased according to Gandhi’s remarks.
- Posters depicting Tejashwi yadav (RJD), Akhilesh Yadav (SP) alongside Rahul Gandhi referred to them as “India’s last hope” during his visit.
- State Congress chief Ajai Rai stated that Gandhi’s visit raised morale among supporters in Uttar Pradesh.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Rahul Gandhi’s assertions regarding systemic vote theft raise significant concerns about India’s electoral integrity if proven accurate.Allegations such as unaccounted additions of new voters or displaced entries on official voter lists warrant thorough investigation by relevant authorities like the Election Commission to safeguard public trust in democratic processes. However, such claims require substantiation through autonomous audits and clear scrutiny due to their broader implications for both political credibility and institutional reliability.
Public reception following his visit suggests revitalized enthusiasm among party ranks ahead of legislative battles within critical constituencies; this may indicate strategic groundwork being laid toward consolidating alliances amidst a politically fragmented environment.
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