Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday that Congressman Rahul Gandhi was denying the mandate that people were given because they rejected him, instead of reflecting on the defeat in the 2024 state assembly poll.
Opposition leaders of Lok Sabha are preparing excuses for future defeats in future parliamentary elections, including Bihar, Fadnavis said in his article published in the Indian Express and Marathi Daily Loksatta.
On Saturday, Gandhi in an article released in several newspapers and X posts, claimed that the 2024 Maharashtra parliamentary elections were “blueprints for digging up democracy,” and that this “matchfix” would occur next in Bihar.
In X’s post, Gandhi outlined the alleged irregularities of elections in a step-by-step manner. Fake voters have been added, voter turnout has been swelled, faking fake votes have been promoted, and evidence has since been hidden.
The Election Commission refused to file charges after the unfavourable verdict, stating that the voting panel was absolutely ridiculous.
In response to Gandhi’s claim, Fadnavis said in his article that Congress leaders are constantly “shaming” the democratic process and the mandate of the people.
“People have rejected Rahul Gandhi and in retaliation he has rejected people and their duties,” the BJP leader has indicted.
“It would be wise to embrace defeat and accept introspection about where you’re wrong, where you’re lacking in connection with people, and what to do about it,” he said.
He accused Congress leaders of preparing excuses for future defeats in future parliamentary votes, including Bihar.
Mahayuti, including BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, defeated Maha Vikas Aghadi, including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), to win the 2024 Maharashtra polls with a majority.
Fadnavis said, “As far as Maharashtra elections are concerned, it was fundamentally not a contest between Mahayuti and Mahavikas Agadi. There was another factor.
It was causing misunderstanding among the people of the nation’s entire constitutional system, and they were instigating it to fight the state itself. This, he argued, includes the Judiciary and the Election Commission.
From 1950 until the new law was enacted, the (previous) Congressional government directly appointed a Chief Election Commissioner, Fadnavis said.
Of the 26 commissioners so far, 25 have been directly appointed by the central government. For the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established a committee that includes opposition leaders or leaders of the largest political parties (opposition parties), he noted.
Fadnavis said the number of young voters is constantly increasing, referring to Gandhi’s objection to the increase in the number of electoral figures in the 2024 Maharashtra polls.
“Between 2014 and 2019, 630,000 new voters were added. From 2009 to 2014, 750,000 new voters were added. From 2004 to 2009, one new voter was added.
In 2004, 5% of parliamentary elections were more common than Lok Sabha’s polls. Over 4% in 2009. In 2014, it was over 3%. In 2019, it was over 1%. Over 4% in 2024. Again, nothing new happened in 2024, the commercial said.
“The allegations that voter turnout suddenly increased is a big joke. You don’t know that RahulGandhi is voting hours from 5pm to 6pm and will be listed in the booth line by 6pm?” he asked.
In the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabah election, voter turnout given at 5pm was 60.96%, and the following day was confirmed at 66.71%. The increase was 5.75%. “But you won that election, so are you going to hide that fact?” Fadnavis said.
Previously, the final vote count would come late at night. Well, the 5pm figure will be released and the final figure will arrive the next day, he said.
Fadnavis said the claim that the NDA won where the voter percentage increased in the final moment is “even hilarious.”
“Rahul Gandhi gave an example of Kamthi (Congress seat in Maharashtra), but he provides an example of not doing so. In Mada, the candidate from Sharad Pawar’s group won.
Fadnavis said Rahul Gandhi is always “shaming” the democratic process and the mission of the people.
“People have rejected Rahul Gandhi and in retaliation they have rejected him and their duties,” he said.
“This only pushes the Congressional Party further into the ditch. He needs to reflect on why his own party MLA challenges him to challenge him to an appointment within a day.
Fadnavis said his defeat in Maharashtra hurt Gandhi and his allies.
The people of Maharashtra would not forgive Gandhi if Gandhi continued to humiliate their mission, the CM added.
He attacked Gandhi by reciting an Urdu caplet about a dirty-faced person trying to clean the mirror.
