Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has strongly responded to Rahul Gandhi’s barb of electoral “match-fixing” in Maharashtra, calling it a deliberate distortion of facts which undermines the mandate of the people. Fadnavis said that the Congress leader who is “rejected by people” is now “rejecting their mandate” and accused him of twisting facts to raise “false bogeys, doubts” on the election process in the country and the Election Commission of India (ECI). 

The 54-year-old BJP leader further condemned Rahul Gandhi’s allegations as an “insult” to the people, and said that neither he nor the people of Maharashtra would “ever forgive him” for such allegations. Deputy CM of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde, BJP Chief JP Nadda, and the ECI also rebuffed Rahul Gandhi’s claims made in the op-ed.

‘Rahul Gandhi’s article deserves to be ignored’: Fadnavis’s rebuttal

Before providing a point-by-point rebuttal, Fadnavis, in his op-ed in The Indian Express, said that Rahul Gandhi’s “article deserves to be ignored” as it follows the logic of “confusing those whom you can’t convince”. He accused Gandhi of running a “Bharat Todo Yatra” instead of “Bharat Jodo” and claimed the campaign involved “urban Naxals”.

“From 1950 until a new law was enacted, your Congress government directly appointed the Chief Election Commissioner,” he criticised Congress’s handling of the election commissioner’s appointment, adding that there was a lack of transparency, which was fixed by PM Modi to “strengthen democracy”. PM Modi introduced reforms to include the Leader of the Opposition in the selection process, a step Congress never took.

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He also addressed Rahul Gandhi’s claims of “bogus voters” and explained that the rise in young voters is consistent and not suspicious. According to the data he provided, there were more than 26 lakh young voters. He suggested the Congress leader read the 60-page letter sent by the Election Commission to his party, adding that “nothing extraordinary” happened when it comes to the number of voters in 2024. 

“In 2004, 5 per cent more in the Assembly elections than in the Lok Sabha polls. In 2009, 4 per cent more; in 2014, 3 per cent more; in 2019, 1 per cent more; and in 2024, 4 per cent more. So again, nothing new happened in 2024,” Fadnavis wrote. 

Fadnavis dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s claims that last-minute high voter turnout benefited NDA candidates, calling them “half-truths” and “laughable”.

“The claim that the NDA won where the voter percentage increased at the last moment is even more laughable. He gave the example of Kamthi. But I will provide the examples which he did not. In Madha, there was an 18 per cent increase, where the Sharad Pawar group’s candidate won. In Wani, a 13 per cent increase, where the Uddhav Thackeray group’s candidate won. In Shrirampur, a 12 per cent increase, where the Congress won,” he provided a counter.  

Maharashtra CM termed Rahul Gandhi’s “Conceal the evidence trail” charge a “meaningless issue”, before adding that such rhetoric “poisons” the faith of the people. “He must be mindful of which direction he is taking the country and what poison he is spreading by constantly raising doubts about the democratic process and constitutional institutions.”

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He concluded that although the defeat may have “hurt” Rahul Gandhi, it doesn’t justify the “insult” to the “mandate” of the people. “As the Chief Minister, and as their sevak, I will always condemn this insult to the people of Maharashtra!” Fadnavis concluded. 

‘EVMs, ECIs were right when…’: Ekanth Shinde on Rahul Gandhi’s barb

The state’s Deputy CM also responded to Rahul Gandhi’s claims. The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP, won 235 out of 288 seats.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde told reporters in Thane, “Even before the Lok Sabha elections, his Bharat Jodo Yatra passed through Maharashtra, but the people did not support him. Despite this, false narratives were spread that reservations would be cancelled, that the Constitution would be changed.”

“In the Lok Sabha elections, when Maha Vikas Aghadi won the elections in Maharashtra, they did not say anything. At that time, the EVMs and ECI were right,” he added.

‘Rahul Gandhi lied about Maharashtra’: BJP Chief JP Nadda

BJP chief JP Nadda accused Gandhi of manufacturing “fake narratives” out of desperation following election defeats. In a five-point post on X, he described how “Rahul Gandhi lied about Maharashtra”. 

“Step 1: Congress Party gets defeated election after election due to his antics. Step 2: Instead of introspecting, he cooks up bizarre conspiracies and cries rigging. Step 3: Ignores all facts and data. Step 4: Defames institutions with zero proof. Step 5: Hopes for headlines over facts,” he countered. 

The health minister added that the Congress leader, despite being “exposed” time and again, has been “peddling lies” as his defeat in Bihar is certain. “Democracy doesn’t need drama. It needs truth,” he added. 

‘Absurd charge, affront to the rule of law’: Election Commision

Election Commission has termed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claims over Maharashtra assembly polls as unsubstantiated and termed his allegations against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra as an affront to the rule of law.

Election Commission, in a statement, said, “All Indian elections are held as per Law. The scale and accuracy with which elections are held in India are widely acclaimed across the world. The entire nation is aware that each election process, including the preparation of electoral polls, polling and counting, etc. are all held by Government staff and that too in the presence of authorised representatives formally appointed by political parties or candidates from the polling station to constituency level.” 

“Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards the Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd,” it added.