Congress 'vote chori' rally: BJP people 'gaddar', 'dramebaaz'; need to be removed from power, says Kharge

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said every step of the poll process arouses suspicion and asserted that the chief election commissioner and the two election commissioners must answer how they "conspired" to take away people's voting rights. Addressing the party's 'Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod' mega rally at Ramlila grounds here, Priyanka Gandhi said Indians must rise when the country's institutions are being crushed. She named Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and said the BJP will not be able to save them, as one day they will be forced to answer for "conspiring" to take away people's vote. "I challenge the BJP to contest polls on the ballot paper. They know they will never win," the Congress general secretary said. "You should not lose heart over losing Bihar, the entire country knows BJP wins through 'vote chori'," she said. The party leader said the Election Commission turned a blind eye to Rs 10,000 paid to each woman in Bihar during the Model Code of Conduct. "If this is not 'vote chori', then what is?" She said elections are not being conducted fairly, and every step of the poll process arouses suspicion. All institutions in the country are being made to bend before the government, she said, attacking the Narendra Modi-led Centre.

Kharge said that Congress ideology alive even after losing many polls, but if Modi loses once he will not be seen anywhere.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the RSS while addressing a mega Congress rally against alleged vote theft. Kharge accused BJP leaders of being "gaddars" (traitors) and "dramebaaz" (drama artists), asserting that they must be removed from power. He said the Congress's fight was not just political but ideological, aimed squarely at the BJP and the RSS, whom he accused of indulging in vote chori. Striking an emotional note, Kharge said he had put national responsibility above personal matters. “I did not go to Bengaluru for my son’s operation and came here instead because I have to save 140 crore people,” he told the crowd, drawing loud applause. Reiterating Congress’s resolve, Kharge said the party would continue its struggle against what he termed attacks on democracy and the electoral process, and urged people to stand united to protect constitutional values.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday called on Indians to unite in support of the party's ideology, asserting that it alone could safeguard the country's future. Addressing a rally, Kharge said it was the duty of all Indians to collectively strengthen the Congress ideology, which he described as essential for protecting democracy and the Constitution. He alleged that the ideology of the RSS was harmful and warned that it would "finish the nation" if allowed to prevail. 

Addressing a Congress rally against alleged vote theft, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led government and the Election Commission, accusing them of working together against democratic values. Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had brought in a new law to grant immunity to the Election Commission, and asserted that a future Congress government would change the law and take action against election commissioners if required. He claimed that in what he described as a battle between truth and untruth, the Election Commission was functioning in tandem with the BJP government. Emphasising faith in democratic principles, Rahul Gandhi said that while the struggle may take time, truth would ultimately prevail. "We will stand with truth and non-violence to defeat Narendra Modi and Amit Shah," he said, adding that the Election Commission should remember it is the country’s poll body, not "Modi's EC." Reiterating his confidence in the eventual victory of truth, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress would continue its fight through peaceful and democratic means.

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "...Listen to RSS Chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat's statement, the world doesn't look at truth, it looks at power. Whoever has power is respected. This is Mohan Bhagwat's thinking. This ideology belongs to the RSS. Our ideology, the ideology of India, the ideology of Hinduism, the ideology of every religion in the world says that truth is the most important thing. Mohan Bhagwat says that truth is meaningless, power is important...I guarantee you from this stage, you will see, by upholding the truth, by standing behind the truth, we will remove Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, the RSS government, from India."

Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "They (BJP) do 'vote chori'. Rs 10 thousand were given during the elections...Election Commission of India is working in collusion with the BJP...PM Narendra Modi changed the law to ensure that no action can be taken against the Election Commissioner, no matter what he does."

"After Lok Sabha polls, BJP was aware that if they don't do 'vote chori' they will lose Haryana, Maharashtra and Bihar polls," said Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, addressing 'vote chori' rally at Ramlila Maidan.

Addressing the party's 'Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhor' rally at Ramlila Maidan, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Our voice should reach the PM's residence. It's very important to understand that your vote plays an important role. Nehru ji said that the people of India, every single son and daughter of India, are all a part of Mother India. This very thought shaped our constitution. This Constitution gave you the right to vote."

Priyanka Gandhi further alleged that institutions meant to safeguard democracy were being forced to bend before the government, and called on people to stand up to protect constitutional values and the integrity of elections.

Addressing a Congress mega rally, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday accused the BJP-led government of systematically weakening democratic institutions and undermining the electoral process. She said that when every institution in the country is being crushed, it becomes the responsibility of all Indians to rise against it. 

Raising concerns over the conduct of elections, Priyanka Gandhi alleged that polls were not being held properly and that there was suspicion at every stage of the process. Questioning the role of the Election Commission, she claimed that the EC was turning a blind eye to instances of money distribution during elections, asking whether the alleged payment of Rs 10,000 during the poll process did not amount to "vote chori."

Addressing a Congress rally against alleged vote chori at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the RSS, asserting that he would stand with satya (truth) and remove the Narendra Modi-led government from power. Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling party of misusing its authority, saying, "They have satta (power), and they indulge in vote chori." He alleged that democratic institutions were being undermined and claimed that elections were being manipulated to favour the BJP. Reiterating the Congress's stand, the former party chief said the fight was not just political but ideological, centred on protecting democracy and truth. He called upon party workers and supporters to unite and continue the struggle against what he described as systematic erosion of democratic values.

At a Congress rally against alleged vote theft, party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday threw down a challenge to the BJP, daring it to contest elections using ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines. Addressing supporters, Priyanka Gandhi said the BJP is aware that it would not be able to win elections if polls were held using ballot papers. "In the Parliament hardly there are one or two debates in a session. When Rahul ji raised the issue, Kharge ji raised the issue that we want to debate on the way votes are being stolen through the EVMs, they got scared. They didn't agree. Finally, how did they agree? They said we will even discuss Vande Mataram...I challenge them to fight a fair election. Let them fight on the ballot paper, and they themselves know that they will never win. Today, you don't need to be disappointed that you lost the Bihar election. Because the whole country is watching that they win through theft..."

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday alleged that the Modi government was hollowing out institutions, as he called on the people to ensure that the election structure works impartially and Indian democracy remains exemplary. Addressing the party's 'Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod' rally at the Ramlila Maidan here, Pilot said questions are being raised over the neutrality of the Election Commission, but no answer is forthcoming. "People have gathered here to challenge the government that has created an environment to hollow out institutions in the last 11 years. This cannot continue. I believe that today (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji and Rahul (Gandhi) ji have called you to make a beginning. This will be a long fight," the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said. "The institutions that we nurtured for 70 years, they are trying to hollow them out and through vote chori they want to prove that by misuse of power and through partiality they can win elections," he said.

The Congress is holding a rally against alleged vote chori at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital on Sunday (December 14), seeking to hold the government and the Election Commission in the dock for "colluding" to allegedly rig elections. The entire top leadership, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi, is expected to address the gathering. Senior leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, and Sachin Pilot, will also participate, while former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to be present.