‘Madhya Pradesh elections could be stolen, just as in Maharashtra’: Rahul Gandhi

There is a plan to “tamper with” the voter lists in Madhya Pradesh, and the elections could be “stolen,” Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi claimed on Monday while addressing a training camp for Congress MLAs in the State.

“After Maharashtra, there is a plan to tamper with the voter list, and elections could be stolen in Madhya Pradesh as well. Congress workers have to fight and prepare for the elections,” Mr. Gandhi said, speaking on the first day of the two-day training camp being held in Dhar district’s Mandu

“In Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha [polls], the Congress and our coalition swept the elections, and four months after that [in the Assembly polls], the BJP sweeps. And it was not an ordinary sweep. The same coalition that won the Lok Sabha polls, all the parties combined only got 25-30 seats,” Mr. Gandhi said in his virtual address, shared on X by Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Umang Singhar.

“And when we saw the figures and demanded the voter lists, we found out that there was a difference of 1 crore voters in the two elections, and these new voters cast their votes in the Assembly elections. The BJP only won the constituencies where these new voters cast their votes. In the seats where there was no increase in the voter list, the results were similar to the Lok Sabha polls. So, I am saying this, without a doubt, that the Maharashtra [Assembly] election was stolen.” He claimed that the Election Commission has not provided the voter list and video footage of polling centres despite multiple requests by him.

EC ‘helping the BJP’

“They [the EC] even told the court that they will share but still have not given [the list and footage]. They cannot because the day they share, the nation will find out that there is cheating going on and the Election Commission is helping the BJP completely. I believe that the elections have been stolen in Madhya Pradesh too. The last [M.P. Assembly] election result was just like that of Maharashtra,” Mr. Gandhi said, while asking party leaders to be alert.

The two-day camp for the MLAs is being held to equip legislators to deal with the challenges of contemporary politics and improve the coordination between party functionaries and elected representatives in the State. 

As per a statement from the Congress, Mr. Gandhi also encouraged Congress leaders to hit the streets in agitation while also continuing similar events. He also asked senior and young Congress leaders to work in coordination to strengthen the party in the State. 

Media management session

The first day of the camp also saw multiple sessions by senior party leaders, including Congress’ national media and publicity department chairperson Pawan Khera, speaking on media management.

Rajya Sabha member and senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha, who held a session on ‘False cases and misuse of investigation agencies,’ advocated for strengthening of the legal wing of the State unit and including members of the Bar Council in it.

“The CBI and the ED are working at the behest of the Union Government. We have prepared a team of 17 lawyers. Instead of being afraid, we have to take the help of law, and we should also know about our rights,” Mr. Tankha said, in his virtual session. 

Among other senior leaders who addressed the MLAs on day one were Congress general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh Harish Choudhary, State unit president Jitu Patwari, Mr. Singhar, and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath.