At a rally in Bengaluru, the Congress leader said his party has evidence of large-scale voter fraud and challenged the ECI to release electronic voting data.
BY PC Bureau
Bengaluru, August 8, 2025 – Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, delivered a fiery speech at the “Vote Adhikar Rally” in Bengaluru’s Freedom Park, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured his third term through widespread electoral fraud. Addressing a massive gathering of over one lakh Congress supporters, Gandhi claimed that digital voter data analysis would expose what he described as “vote theft” orchestrated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in collusion with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gandhi asserted that the Congress party’s six-month investigation into voter records, particularly in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency, uncovered irrefutable evidence of electoral manipulation. He claimed that 1,00,250 votes were “stolen” through five methods: duplicate voters, fake or invalid addresses, bulk voters at single addresses, invalid photos, and misuse of Form 6 for fraudulent voter registrations. “If we had machine-readable digital voter lists, this fraud would be exposed in 30 seconds,” Gandhi said, accusing the ECI of deliberately providing non-digital data to hinder scrutiny.
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the BJP’s narrow victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, securing 240 seats against the INDIA bloc’s 234, relied on rigging in at least 25 seats. “Modi is PM with a slender majority because of this vote theft,” Gandhi declared, adding that similar patterns of fraud were evident in Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly elections.
Evidence Presented: Citing specific examples, Gandhi highlighted cases like Gurkirat Singh Dang, allegedly registered in four polling booths, and Shakun Rani, a 70-year-old listed as a first-time voter with two EPIC numbers. He also pointed to 40,009 voters with unverifiable addresses and 33,692 elderly individuals registered as new voters, questioning the ECI’s oversight. “This is not just Mahadevapura; it’s a nationwide scam,” he stated, vowing to release a detailed presentation to the public.
LIVE: Vote Adhikar Rally | Bengaluru, Karnataka https://t.co/b0TrDxoE2d
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 8, 2025
Congress’s Campaign and Rally: The rally, attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, marked the launch of a nationwide campaign to clean voter lists and restore electoral integrity. Gandhi emphasized that the Constitution’s principle of “one man, one vote” was under attack, accusing the ECI of enabling the BJP to evade anti-incumbency. He warned poll officials, “We will not spare those involved in this crime against democracy.”
ECI and BJP Response: The ECI, in a letter to Gandhi, demanded a signed declaration under oath to substantiate his claims, warning that false evidence is punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer noted that Congress had not formally raised these concerns earlier and that election disputes must be filed via High Court petitions.
BJP leaders dismissed Gandhi’s allegations as baseless. Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra called the rally a “political gimmick,” pointing out Congress’s 2023 Karnataka Assembly victory. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused Gandhi of undermining constitutional institutions, while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis mocked his claims, saying, “Rahul Gandhi’s brain’s chip has been stolen.”
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Political Implications: Gandhi’s allegations, backed by Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s demand for Modi’s resignation, have intensified the Congress-BJP rivalry ahead of key state elections, notably in Bihar. The rally signals Congress’s strategy to mobilize public opinion against alleged electoral fraud, though the ECI’s rebuttals and BJP’s counterattacks suggest a prolonged confrontation. Posts on X reflect polarized sentiments, with Congress supporters praising Gandhi’s “explosive” evidence, while BJP backers label it a desperate tactic.
Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the Vote Adhikar Rally has escalated accusations of electoral malpractice, with digital voter data at the center of the controversy. As Congress prepares to take its campaign nationwide, the ECI and BJP face mounting pressure to address these claims, potentially reshaping India’s electoral discourse.
