Following Rahul Gandhi's press briefing on September 18, 2025, a BJP National Spokesperson addressed the media to counter the points raised by the Leader of Opposition. Gandhi's briefing centered around accusations against the Election Commission (EC), specifically targeting CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the commission is protecting individuals who are undermining Indian democracy. He claimed systematic deletion of voters, particularly targeting Dalits, Tribals, minorities, and OBCs, who are likely to vote for the opposition. Gandhi went further, accusing Kumar of "vote chori" and protecting "destroyers of democracy," alleging that 6000 votes were illicitly removed during the 2023 Karnataka elections using fraudulent logins.
The BJP's response, led by figures like Union Minister Anurag Thakur, dismissed Gandhi's claims as baseless and politically motivated. Thakur criticized Gandhi, stating that he resorts to making unsubstantiated allegations due to increasing "frustration and despair" from repeated electoral defeats. The BJP also questioned the timing and intent behind Gandhi's accusations, particularly his threat of "serious consequences" if the EC didn't respond to his concerns.
The BJP spokesperson pointed out what they see as inconsistencies in Gandhi's criticism of the EC, questioning why the Congress party doesn't similarly question the EC's integrity in states where they win elections. They accused Gandhi of "selective outrage," suggesting his attacks are opportunistic. Some BJP leaders alluded to a "hydrogen bomb" of revelations promised by Gandhi, but argued that it turned out to be a mere "sparkler" that fizzled.
Furthermore, the BJP accused Gandhi of undermining national institutions and disrespecting the mandate of the people. They suggested that by questioning the integrity of the electoral process, Gandhi is insulting voters who have repeatedly placed their trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP also raised questions regarding the source of information Gandhi presented, with some leaders claiming that the data used by Gandhi was prepared outside of India, potentially involving "foreign hands" in scripting the narrative against the Indian electoral process. BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that metadata of PDF files uploaded on Gandhi's website indicated a timezone set to Myanmar.
The Election Commission itself has responded to Gandhi's allegations, dismissing them as "incorrect and baseless". The EC stated that deletions of voters cannot be done online and that every affected person has the opportunity to be heard.
In summary, Rahul Gandhi's press conference accusing the Election Commission of facilitating "vote chori" has been met with strong rebuttal from the BJP, who question his motives, evidence, and the potential involvement of foreign entities in crafting the narrative. The Election Commission has denied the allegations, further adding to the political fallout from Gandhi's statements.
