Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has renewed his allegations of electoral fraud, specifically targeting the Haryana assembly elections and accusing the Election Commission (EC) and BJP of ‘vote chori’. Gandhi presented a large quantity of papers, asserting that approximately 25 lakh fake voters were instrumental in the election’s outcome. He claimed that 3.5 lakh voters, allegedly Congress supporters, were removed from the rolls, and highlighted issues such as bulk voters, duplicates, and invalid addresses. A notable claim involved the alleged misuse of a Brazilian model’s photograph on voter IDs to cast multiple votes. However, an investigative report has challenged these assertions. Reporters visiting the locales cited by Gandhi found that multi-generational families lived at single house numbers, with all voters confirming their ability to cast ballots. Another address, where hundreds of voters were reportedly registered, was found to be a large property encompassing family residences and educational facilities. The women voters linked to the photograph incident affirmed they used valid IDs to vote. The Election Commission has advised Gandhi to present his evidence to the High Court and noted the absence of any appeals filed by the Congress party concerning the electoral rolls. The EC also provided an explanation for ‘zero’ addresses, attributing them to the lack of formal house numbering in certain areas. Political analysis suggests Gandhi’s consistent focus on electoral manipulation is a strategy to shield his leadership from accountability for the Congress party’s string of election losses, especially after state election results fell short of expectations. This approach is viewed as an attempt to prevent internal challenges to his leadership.
