Rahul Gandhi’s Evidences of “Vote Theft” is “Well-Researched, Well-Documented:” Sharad Pawar, Demands ECI to Probe
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Even as the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday supported the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “well-documented vote theft” allegation against the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said his Law Department has been asked to conduct an inquiry into the issue as suggested by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking to media persons at the Mysuru airport, Mr Siddaramaiah said whatever action was possible would be initiated based on the recommendations of the department. He said the Advocate General would be instructed to conduct the inquiry quickly and submit a report.
In Nagpur, Mr Pawar told the media persons that Mr Gandhi’s presentation on “vote theft.” in which he showed “evidence” to claim that more than one lakh fake votes were polled in one Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency to help the ruling BJP to cover up the deficits in the remaining six segments and win the seat by about 32,000 votes in the 2024 Parliamentary elections, was “well-researched and well-documented,” and it was up to the ECI to look into the matter.
On the BJP’s allegation that the Congress was belatedly raising the issue of the alleged vote fraud, Mr Siddaramaiah said the internal survey of the Congress indicated that the party would win 16 seats but could win only 9 seats. “Now, Rahul Gandhi has referred to the official records and presented the details with evidence and all this information is available with the State and the Central Election Commission. We came to know of the irregularities only after studying the matter,” said Mr Siddaramaiah, and questioned how 80 persons could live in a single room.
In response to a question of whether the judiciary should suo motu intervene in a vote fraud case, the CM did not make a direct reply but said the Congress has been stating for a long time that elections were being manipulated and so were the voters list and the EVMs. “What Rahul Gandhi has presented before the media is true,” he added.
Responding to the allegations of former Minister C.M. Ibrahim that Mr Siddaramaiah had ‘’purchased’’ 3000 votes in Badami in the 2018 elections, the Chief Minister said he had been to Badami only twice. ‘’I went to Badami once to file the nomination and once for campaigning. Beyond that I know nothing and this issue is new to me. The query should be directed to him (Ibrahim),” he added.
When questioned about an election speech Mr Siddaramaiah made years ago but has gone viral now, in which he alluded to dead people having exercised their franchise in the by-elections, the Chief Minister said the ECI was responsible if votes have been cast in the name of the dead.
Speaking to media persons in Nagpur, Mr Pawar regretted that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) did not remain as agile to the situation before the Maharashtra Assembly elections as they should have been. “We should have looked into it earlier and been careful,” he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has described the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as an “institutionalised chori” and claimed that the Election Commission was “openly colluding” with the BJP to carry out this “theft” with the objective of taking away the voting rights of the poor. Mr Pawar said Mr Gandhi had made his presentation with detailed proof. “The ECI should look into it,” he said.
Supporting Mr Gandhi’s stand on the elections in the country were being “manipulated” in the country now, Mr Pawar also revealed that two people had approached him ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, claiming they could guarantee 160 out of 288 seats. He said he facilitated a meeting between these people and Rahul Gandhi, but the two leaders ultimately dismissed the offer, stating, “This is not our way”.
“We did not give it the attention it perhaps required. But I still remember — before the Assembly elections were announced, two people came to meet me in Delhi. They told me that Maharashtra has 288 Assembly seats, and out of those, they would guarantee us 160 seats. I was surprised. To be clear, even though they claimed such a guarantee, I had no doubts about the Election Commission. But such people do show up, so I ignored them.”
“I arranged their meeting with Rahul Gandhi. They told him whatever they wanted to. However, both Rahul Gandhi and I felt that we should not pay attention to such things. This is not our path. We decided we would go before the people and find ways to earn their support,”
He also criticised the ECI’s asking for a separate affidavit for complaining about the “vote theft.” “The Election Commission is an independent body. Rahul Gandhi said he has already taken an oath in Parliament, so there is no need for a separate affidavit. If the Election Commission still insists on such a thing, that is not right. Rahul Gandhi’s allegations need to be probed in depth. The truth must come out. My only point is that the objection was regarding the Election Commission. Then why do the BJP leaders or the chief minister need to respond? We want an answer from the Election Commission, not from the BJP,” said Pawar.
He dismissed the controversy raised over Uddhav Thackeray’s seating position at the recent INDIA bloc meeting at the official residence of Mr Gandhi in Delhi comparing it humorously to movie-goers avoiding the front row. “First, I must say I have been seeing since yesterday that there is politics over where Uddhav Thackeray was seated in Delhi. When you watch a presentation, you don’t sit in the first row just as when you go to watch a movie, you don’t sit in the first row, you sit further back. Similarly, I, Dr Farooq Abdullah were seated at the back. The point is, you don’t sit close to the screen; you keep some distance. Unfortunately, politics is being done over where Uddhav Thackeray was seated,” he said.
Hours after Pawar’s comments, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hit back stating that the Opposition has a habit of lying and running away. “Although Rahul Gandhi has often raised doubts about the EVM machines, Sharad Pawar has never said so. In fact, Sharad Pawar has often taken a clear stand that it is wrong to blame the EVMs. However, now, after Rahul Gandhi’s meeting, Sharad Pawar has suddenly started talking about changes in the voting process. This is the result of Rahul Gandhi’s meeting,” said Fadnavis.
“No matter how much confusion the Opposition creates, elections are not held anywhere as transparent and free as in India. Those who accuse EVMs and the Election Commission speak in public. But they are not ready to give an affidavit. They say that we have taken an oath in Parliament. But is the oath in Parliament valid in the Supreme Court and the high court? They know that if they are caught lying, criminal action can be taken against them tomorrow. Therefore, these are cowardly people who lie and run away every day,” criticised Fadnavis.
