Rahul Gandhi Exposes Alleged Voter Fraud in Mahadevapura; Siddaramaiah Calls for PM Modi’s Resignation
Bengaluru, Aug 7: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday released documents purportedly sourced from the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging large-scale electoral fraud in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The findings, which focus on the Mahadevapura Assembly segment in Bengaluru, have triggered a political firestorm, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation over what he called a “fraudulent mandate.”
Congress Alleges Systematic Voter Manipulation
A six-month investigation led by Rahul Gandhi claims the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured its victory in Mahadevapura through widespread irregularities. According to the report, the constituency—with only 3.75 lakh registered voters—saw over 1.25 lakh allegedly fraudulent votes favoring the BJP.
“The findings prove that Modi has no moral right to continue as Prime Minister,” Siddaramaiah told reporters. “He should resign immediately. The Congress will take this issue to the people and expose the BJP’s misuse of power and the Election Commission’s inaction.”
Five Key Irregularities Uncovered
The Congress investigation identified five major categories of alleged electoral malpractice:
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Fake Voters – 11,965 instances of multiple voting, including votes cast in other parts of Karnataka and outside the state.
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Bogus Addresses – 40,009 voters registered with unverifiable or fake addresses, some with non-existent house numbers or random English letters in place of parent/spouse names.
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Overcrowded Residences – 10,452 voters linked to a handful of addresses, including 80 voter IDs tied to a single one-bedroom home and 68 registered at a private club where none resided.
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Unidentifiable Photographs – 4,132 voter ID cards featured no photos, blurred images, or pictures too small to verify identity.
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Elderly First-Time Voters – 33,692 individuals aged 60 to 98 were listed as first-time voters under Form 6, raising suspicions of fabricated entries.
Siddaramaiah Questions Election Commission’s Role
The Chief Minister accused the ECI of suppressing evidence, citing its refusal to act on Rahul Gandhi’s requests for CCTV footage and voter database access. “The Commission arbitrarily changed its rules to withhold information,” Siddaramaiah alleged.
He further claimed the irregularities were not isolated to Mahadevapura. “This is a nationwide pattern. The BJP has clung to power through electoral fraud,” he asserted.
Political Fallout and Next Steps
The Congress has vowed to escalate the issue, with plans to mobilize public opinion against the BJP ahead of upcoming state elections. Meanwhile, the BJP has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
As the controversy intensifies, pressure mounts on the Election Commission to address the claims and restore public trust in the electoral process. Legal experts suggest the findings could lead to petitions challenging the election results in affected constituencies.
(This report is based on statements from Congress leaders and alleged findings from their investigation. The Election Commission and BJP have not yet responded to the claims.)
