Amit Shah Throws Open Challenge to Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav Over ‘Vote Chori’ Row; Calls for Special Parliament Session
With the Opposition preparing to hold a ‘public impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has challenged Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to take their allegations of electoral malpractice to Parliament.
The political confrontation over alleged vote theft has intensified, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to a parliamentary debate on the issue.
Addressing BJP workers at a meeting in Lucknow on Friday, Shah said the ruling party was ready to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the Opposition’s allegations of ‘vote chori’.
Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Shah alleged that the Congress leader was unwilling to debate the issue inside Parliament and instead preferred protests on the streets.
“I am ready to call a special session of Parliament to discuss vote chori. But Rahul Baba will never agree. He will never discuss the issue in Parliament but will create a nuisance on the street,” Shah said.
He further challenged Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav to present their allegations before Parliament, maintaining that the charges levelled against the Election Commission were baseless.
The remarks come at a time when the INDIA bloc is preparing a series of protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The Opposition has planned a ‘public impeachment’ programme against the CEC on Saturday, followed by a major protest rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday. The INDIA bloc has accused the Election Commission of undermining democratic processes through the voter-list revision exercise.
The proposed programme was initially scheduled to take place at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence on Friday. However, it was postponed due to unseasonal rainfall.
The Opposition has alleged that the SIR exercise amounts to a targeted voter-list revision intended to benefit the ruling BJP. The allegations have triggered a fresh political confrontation between the ruling party and the INDIA bloc.
Meanwhile, addressing the BJP’s state working committee meeting, Shah also targeted the Congress and the Samajwadi Party over their electoral performances. Highlighting the BJP’s victories in states such as Odisha and West Bengal, he questioned the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.
Taking a swipe at Akhilesh Yadav, Shah referred to the political legacy of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, claiming that the party’s last Assembly election victory came during his father’s lifetime.
“You have not won a single election on your own. The same is true for Rahul Baba,” Shah said.
He further accused the Opposition of questioning the electoral process after losing elections instead of accepting the results.
“After losing the match, they are blaming the umpire and alleging vote theft,” Shah remarked.
The latest exchange of statements has added another dimension to the ongoing political battle over electoral transparency, the SIR exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission.
