Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Congress over its “vote theft” allegations, claiming that a BJP legislator has uncovered evidence of the opposition party’s own manipulation in the electoral process.
Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis highlighted claims by BJP MLA Atul Bhosale from Karad South in Satara district, who defeated former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan in the November 2024 state assembly elections. According to Bhosale, family members and close associates of Chavan had allegedly voted at multiple locations, raising serious questions about the integrity of the voting process. “The Congress stands exposed. Our MLA Atul Bhosale has clearly shown how the Congress is indulging in vote theft. It is now up to Rahul Gandhi to respond to this revelation,” Fadnavis said, intensifying the political standoff ahead of the upcoming elections.
Earlier this month, Rahul Gandhi had accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding with the ruling BJP, claiming that the principle of “one person, one vote” was being violated. Gandhi had cited data from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, alleging that over 1 lakh votes were manipulated in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment of the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha constituency through five distinct types of electoral fraud.
BJP Hits Back with Allegations of Voter List Manipulation
Building on Bhosale’s claims, BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye accused the Congress of hypocrisy, saying the party’s efforts to expose vote manipulation were undermined by irregularities in its own ranks. “Only a thief knows the ways of a thief. Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against vote theft mirrors exactly that — making a fuss about what his own allies are accused of doing. The voter lists of Congress constituencies reveal multiple registrations and inconsistencies in addresses and ages. Entrusting Prithviraj Chavan, a loyalist of the Gandhi family, to head the anti-vote-theft committee is like giving the keys to a thief,” Upadhye said.
At a press conference in Satara, Karad BJP President Dhananjay Patil detailed further anomalies in voter records. According to Patil, “15 individuals listed at Chavan’s residence in Karad do not actually live there,” and several names, including that of Chavan’s nephew Indrajit Chavan, appear multiple times across different villages, including Malkapur. The BJP plans to conduct a more detailed survey before approaching the Election Commission. “In his own house, at least 15 names figure in the voter list incorrectly. We are gathering more data and will take it to the Election Commission,” Patil said.
Opposition Response and Political Reactions
So far, Chavan has not publicly commented on the allegations. NCP chief Sharad Pawar responded cautiously, noting the need to verify claims: “We will look into these allegations, but there is a difference between 15 times, 150 times, and 1,800 times,” Pawar said.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis also addressed other political developments. Speaking about the upcoming vice-presidential elections, he revealed that he had reached out to Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar to seek their support for NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan, emphasizing Radhakrishnan’s ties to Maharashtra. Thackeray said he would discuss the matter with his party, while Pawar indicated support for the opposition candidate.
Fadnavis also defended NCP MP Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, after criticism for attending an RSS event in Delhi, asserting, “Is RSS a banned organisation? I am proud to be an RSS swayamsevak as it has taught me nationalism and inclusive development.”
On governance issues, Fadnavis mentioned his meeting with Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, who suggested improvements for traffic management. The CM also noted that heavy rains could impact infrastructure, and his government was working to strengthen systems.