Rahul Gandhi Faces BJP Backlash Over Voter Deletion Allegations in Karnataka

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Election Commission of India of deleting large numbers of voters from Congress strongholds during the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

He described this alleged act as a major issue and called it a political "hydrogen bomb". However, leaders from the BJP and its allies strongly hit back, mocking the claim and dismissing it as false.

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rahul Gandhi doesn’t understand the Constitution or the law. “Since 2014, he’s been saying Modi ji’s victories are fake. This is an insult to Indian voters. He called his claim a hydrogen bomb, but it turned out to be a dud,” Prasad said. “I strongly condemn his statements.”

Joining in, Delhi BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “They called it a hydrogen bomb. Is this what one looks like? Instead of accepting defeat, they blame others — the courts, the Election Commission — anyone but themselves.”

Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam also slammed Rahul Gandhi. He said Gandhi was struggling to accept Congress’s loss and was now making false claims about "vote theft" to shift blame.

“He’s insulting Indian voters,” Kadam said. “He’s doing this to influence the upcoming Bihar elections, but if he keeps at it, he’ll lose there too.”

Background:

Rahul Gandhi’s accusations come just months after Congress lost key elections. His claims suggest that thousands of Congress supporters were unfairly removed from voter lists, which he believes helped the BJP win in Karnataka.

But the BJP says Congress is simply upset about losing and is now spreading misinformation instead of reflecting on their defeat.

With the Bihar elections approaching, this political fight is likely to continue, with both sides trying to win over public opinion.