Siddaramaiah Accuses EC of Colluding With BJP to ‘Strangle Democracy’

Citing Congressman Rahul Gandhi's claims over 25 lakh fraudulent entries in the Haryana poll list, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accused the Election Commission on Wednesday of working with the BJP-led union government to "strangle" the very democratic system it is supposed to protect.

Additionally, the chief minister urged Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to acknowledge the facts and stop trying to defend his "masters."

Gandhi said on Wednesday that the Haryana assembly elections of the previous year were "stolen," citing electoral list data to assert that 25 lakh entries were fraudulent and that the Election Commission conspired with the BJP to ensure the party's victory.

"Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has once again exposed the dark face of systematic electoral malpractice in India's election system," Siddaramaiah said in a post on 'X'.

Having earlier revealed large-scale voter fraud in Mahadevapura and Aland Assembly constituencies of Karnataka, Gandhi has now presented documented evidence showing how the entire election result in Haryana was manipulated, he said.

"These records demonstrate how the Election Commission, which is supposed to protect democracy through transparent and impartial elections, has instead colluded with the Union Government to strangle the very democratic system it is meant to safeguard," he added.

Gandhi made a presentation to support his statements during a press conference in New Delhi earlier in the day.

The former Congress chief claimed that the poll panel initiated "Operation Sarkar Chori" in order to turn his party's overwhelming victory in the 2024 assembly elections into a defeat in the state. The elaborate plan allegedly involved a Brazilian model whose picture was used 22 times in 10 booths in Haryana's Rai assembly constituency.

Siddaramaiah pointed out that the BJP and the Election Commission had fabricated voters in the Maharashtra and Karnataka Assembly elections by using the identities of Indian citizens. In Haryana, they even went so far as to use the identity of a Brazilian model for their voter fraud, which is evidence of their lack of shame.

"This time, India's democratic reputation is certain to suffer humiliation at the international level," he said.

Over five lakh fake voters were created, and more than one lakh votes were stolen using tampered or unidentifiable photographs. "In total, over 25 lakh fraudulent votes were cast in the Haryana Assembly elections - meaning that one out of every eight votes polled was fake," he said.

Pointing out that almost every pre-election survey had predicted a defeat for the BJP in Haryana and the people were determined to oust the BJP government, the CM said Gandhi has now provided a clear explanation of how the BJP still managed to secure a majority and form the government.

"Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar - who had been evading questions, denying allegations, and even absurdly demanding that the accusers take an oath - must, at least this time, refrain from attempting to protect his masters. He should admit the truth and atone for his misdeeds through the legal process," he added.

Gandhi accused CEC Kumar in September of shielding people who "destroyed democracy" and used statistics from Karnataka's Aland assembly constituency to assert that Congress supporters' ballots were routinely erased before elections.

He asserted in August that more than one lakh votes were "stolen" by manipulation in the Mahadevapura assembly seat in Karnataka, based on statistics from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.