After Rahul's ‘vote chori’ charge, Congress hits out at poll body: ‘Very clear EC is involved'

COngress leaders, including Priyanka indira mrs. Gandhi Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ashok Gehlot and mysore ministers on th backed Rahul Gandhi o'er his fresh allegations of “mass vote theft” in Karnataka’s Aland constituency, intensifying their attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI).Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said her brother had exposed what she described as an “organised effort” involving the poll body. “It’s a completely organised effort. It’s very clear that the Election Commission is involved in this effort and Rahul ji has very clearly exposed it,” news agency PTI quoted her as saying.Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the poll panel of “shielding” culprits in the alleged voter deletion case. In a post on 'X', he wrote, “CID probing the Aland AC voter deletion case, wrote 18 letters to ECISVEEP in 18 months, but ECI has stone-walled critical information necessary to track the culprits. Armed with concrete proof, Rahul Gandhi has thoroughly exposed the mass vote deletion in Aland Assembly in Karnataka.”He raised three sharp questions: “Who is the ECI shielding? Is BJP hollowing out the very Institutions meant to protect our Democracy? Can we afford a Democracy where the Electoral System is being dismantled by a Vote Chori Factory?”What Rahul Gandhi saidAt the press conference earlier, the Leader of Opposition alleged that chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was “protecting vote chors” and that systematic voter deletions were targeting Dalits, OBCs, adivasis and minorities – mainly opposition supporters.“We had heard this many times, and now we found 100 per cent proof of it. I am not going to say anything on this stage that is not backed up by 100 per cent proof,” he added.Rahul Gandhi further claimed he was now receiving “help” from people inside the Election Commission in exposing the alleged voter fraud.“We have started getting help from inside the Election Commission… this is not going to stop. India’s people will not accept this,” he said, warning that youth anger would grow once they realised “vote chori” was taking place.The Congress leader brought on stage a woman who he said had her name deleted from the voters’ list, along with a man whose identity was allegedly misused in the process. Both denied any involvement. However, Rahul stopped short of releasing what he had earlier promised would be a “hydrogen bomb” of evidence, saying it was yet to come.Congress leaders reactKarnataka ministers also echoed Gandhi’s allegations. State minister Eshwar Khandre said, “Whatever our leader Rahul Gandhi is saying is true. The Election Commission is acting as an agent of the BJP,” reported news agency ANI.His cabinet colleague Dinesh Gundu Rao accused the poll body of deflecting questions, saying, “EC, instead of replying properly, has turned it into as if opposition is purposely vilifying them.”Meanwhile, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot talked about a case involving a woman named Godabai, whose name and those of 12 others were allegedly deleted after a fake login was created. “These are the mobile numbers that were used to delete people from the voter list. These numbers are not from Karnataka. These numbers are from different states,” Gehlot claimed.Election Commission fires backThe Election Commission has rejected the allegations, calling them “incorrect and baseless.” In a statement, it clarified: “Allegations made by Shri Rahul Gandhi are incorrect and baseless. No deletion of any vote can be done online by any member of the public, as misconceived by Shri Rahul Gandhi.”The poll body stressed that deletions from the rolls follow due process: “No deletion can take place without giving an opportunity of being heard to the affected person.”(With ANI/PTI inputs)