Bengaluru: Bengaluru witnessed a charged political atmosphere on Friday as Congress leaders, led by party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, descended upon Freedom Park for the Vote Adhikaar Rally. The protest, aimed at highlighting alleged large-scale voter fraud, drew thousands of party workers and supporters under heavy police security. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and several senior party functionaries stood shoulder to shoulder, signaling the Congress party’s intent to escalate the fight.
Rahul Gandhi, doubling down on his “vote theft” allegations, delivered a sharp warning to those he accused of undermining democracy. “Vote theft is not just an electoral scam; it is a betrayal of the Constitution and of the people of India. Let every culprit hear this – times will change, and punishment will be delivered,” Gandhi said, in a post on X earlier in the day.
The Congress leader’s latest attack follows his explosive claim on Thursday that over 1,00,250 fake votes were manufactured in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura Assembly segment, a part of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency. According to Gandhi, this alleged manipulation was critical in ensuring the BJP’s victory in the constituency and was part of a larger nationwide pattern of electoral malpractice.
At a press conference in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi presented what he called “criminal evidence” in the form of physical voter lists, alleging deep collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission of India. “Narendra Modi became Prime Minister with just a margin of 25 seats. If the Election Commission were truly independent, we would have access to voter data across the country. The truth is, they don’t want it out because similar fraud could be uncovered in other constituencies. The very foundation of Indian democracy is under threat,” he said.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah echoed these concerns, accusing the BJP of manipulating the 2024 elections to remain in power. “From controlling the Election Commission, to sudden voter roll surges in Maharashtra, to silent deletions in Bihar – the pattern is undeniable. The Mahadevapura case is just one example. We will take this fight to the streets. This is not just about one election; this is about saving Indian democracy,” he declared, urging citizens to join the rally in large numbers.
The Congress party claims that similar voter list discrepancies were instrumental in narrow BJP wins across multiple states, including key battleground constituencies. Friday’s rally, therefore, is being projected not merely as a protest but as the beginning of a sustained political movement to “protect the people’s vote.”
With security forces maintaining a tight vigil around Freedom Park and political rhetoric intensifying, the Vote Adhikaar Rally marks yet another flashpoint in the ongoing war of words between the ruling BJP and the Opposition.
