Following Rahul Gandhi's accusations of "vote chori" (vote theft), Congress functionaries have rallied in support, and some opposition allies are joining in. Gandhi alleges widespread irregularities in the electoral process, raising concerns about the integrity of recent elections.

Gandhi claims that voter fraud cost his party seven Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in May 2024 and also led to losses in the Maharashtra election in November. He presented PowerPoint presentations at INDIA opposition bloc meetings to support his claims of widespread voter fraud. He said that the Congress' internal inquiries had focused on the Mahadevapura Assembly seat in the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency, and said there were 1.02 lakh fraud votes.

Congress party is launching a nationwide campaign to highlight alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary, urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate the charges made by Rahul Gandhi. She stated that the evidence is available and must be examined to uphold the nation's democracy.

However, the Election Commission has responded to these allegations, dismissing them as "new wine in an old bottle" and "recycled and misleading". The poll panel cited an example of a voter registered in three different states, but said the issue had been rectified months ago. The Election Commission has demanded that Gandhi submit proof of his charges in a self-signed affidavit. The EC also responded to Mr. Gandhi’s twin PowerPoint presentations showcased at meetings of the INDIA opposition bloc and said the Congress leader's inferences were "misleading".

The Election Commission also hit back at the Congress and Mr. Gandhi’s repeated demands for a searchable version of the voter list, stating that the Supreme Court has already settled the matter.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accused Gandhi of attacking democratic institutions, while Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra dismissed his claims as lies driven by political frustration.

Adding to the controversy, Rahul Gandhi has criticized the special intensive revision (SIR) of election rolls in Bihar, calling it an "institutionalised chori" to deny the poor their right to vote. He said that the Congress's six-month long investigation into the alleged electoral malpractices in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment under the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency revealed only false additions to the voters' list. He added that the SIR exercise facilitates incorrect deletions as well.

Meanwhile, the owner of a 120 square foot room in Bengaluru's Mahadevapura, which Gandhi claimed housed 80 registered voters, has denied the claim, stating that Gandhi was "confused". The room owner said his tenants were a revolving door of migrant laborers who usually stayed for six months to a year.