Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi claimed on Tuesday, August 12, that the Congress party, which is the main opposition party, lost at least 48 Lok Sabha seats due to systematic “vote chori” (vote theft), as the party announced a month-long national campaign to collect 50 million signatures against alleged electoral manipulation.
“There is not just one seat but there are a number of seats. This is being done at a national level and systematically. The EC knows it and we know it too,” Gandhi told reporters in Parliament House complex, according to Press Trust of India (PTI). When asked about 124-year-old Minta Devi allegedly listed as a first-time voter in Bihar’s electoral rolls, he said: “There are unlimited cases like that. Abhi picture baki hai. (the matter is not finished yet).”
PTI reported that at a Congress leadership meeting, party sources quoted Gandhi as saying there are at least 48 Lok Sabha seats where Congress lost to the BJP using the same methods alleged in Bengaluru Central constituency.
General Secretary KC Venugopal announced candlelight processions in every district on August 14, followed by rallies with the slogan ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ (Vote Thieves, Leave Office) in all state capitals between August 22 and September 7, and a signature drive from September 15 to October 15, according to Deccan Herald. “The entire country is shouting in one voice - Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod (Vote Thieves, Leave the Chair),” Venugopal said.
Gandhi’s claims follow his August 7 press conference where he alleged over 100,000 votes were “stolen” in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura assembly segment through duplicate voters and other methods. However, Karnataka State Election Commission found that Shakun Rani, whom Gandhi claimed had registered twice as a first-time voter, had actually cast her vote only once, according to Telangana Today. The commission said the document Gandhi presented was not issued by any polling booth officer.
The Election Commission termed Gandhi’s allegations “misleading” and demanded he sign formal oath notices or apologise for “fake” accusations, according to verified sources. Gandhi refused, arguing he had already sworn to uphold the Constitution as an MP.
Opposition parties linked the controversy to Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls affecting 80 million voters ahead of state assembly elections. Reuters reported that on August 11, around 300 opposition parliamentarians marched towards the Election Commission headquarters but were detained by police. “This fight is not political; this fight is to save the constitution,” Gandhi told reporters after being detained.
On August 12, opposition MPs protested in Parliament wearing T-shirts with “124-year-old voter” emblazoned on them, PTI reported. “Evidence was not there earlier but now there is evidence. We protect the Constitution and will continue to do so. We will not stop,” Gandhi said.
BJP National Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi dismissed Gandhi’s allegations as “frustration of losing power”, while DMK’s M.K. Stalin backed Gandhi, accusing BJP of turning the Election Commission into “vote theft machinery”.
