Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Wednesday that every sixth BJP MP in the Lok Sabha attained their seat through ‘vote chori’ or vote theft. He provocatively questioned whether these MPs should be labelled ‘ghuspethiya,’ a term that aligns with the BJP’s own rhetoric.
In a statement made on X, Gandhi asserted, “Through vote theft, sometimes individual seats are stolen, and at other times, an entire government. Among the 240 BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha, roughly every sixth MP secured their position through vote chori.” This accusation formed a part of a larger narrative he presented, asserting that the BJP could likely not win even 140 seats under fair electoral conditions.
Gandhi’s remarks came during a comprehensive critique of the BJP’s governance and its electoral practices. “They are not hard to identify – should we, in the BJP’s own parlance, label them ‘ghuspethiya’? And what of Haryana? There, the entire government itself is an ‘ghuspethiya’. The very institutions they keep in their pockets – the ones they manipulate to distort voter lists and the electoral process – are themselves ‘remote-controlled’,” he added, exhibiting a scathing critique of ruling party’s approach.
The former Congress president’s commentary did not stop there. He emphasized that the BJP’s fundamental anxiety lies in the truth, suggesting that fair elections reveal their vulnerabilities. “If fair elections were to be held, they would not be able to win even 140 seats today,” he stated, reinforcing his position against the BJP’s legitimacy.
Earlier this week, Gandhi condemned the BJP’s victories in West Bengal and Assam assembly elections as a “theft” of the public mandate, characterizing them as significant advances in an agenda aimed at undermining Indian democracy.
Extending his critique, Gandhi expressed solidarity with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which faced defeat against the BJP. He admonished party members and others who celebrated TMC’s loss, insisting that the overarching issue is not merely party politics but preserving the integrity of democracy. “Put petty politics aside. This is not about one party or another. This is about India,” he wrote on social media.
The BJP’s victories in the assembly polls have resulted in its continued dominance in Assam and marked a significant shift in West Bengal where it unseated the TMC after years of governance.
In the wake of these statements, many observers and political analysts are keenly watching how these claims resonate with the electorate as the political landscape in India continues to evolve. The controversy surrounding ‘vote chori’ and its implications on future elections may drive discussions on electoral reform and transparency.
