The stunning electoral success of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Bihar Assembly elections has drawn immediate and sharp criticism from the Opposition Congress party, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah joining the chorus to allege manipulation.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru as counting trends confirmed the NDA’s majority, Siddaramaiah claimed that “vote chori” (vote theft) had occurred in Bihar. This statement aligns with the aggressive pre-poll rhetoric of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had accused the BJP and the Election Commission of collusion to manipulate voter rolls.
The ‘Vote Chori’ Claim Extended to Karnataka
When asked about his party’s sustained allegation of electoral fraud, the Chief Minister doubled down, not only on the Bihar result but also on alleged malpractice in his own state.
Siddaramaiah: “They have done chori here too [in Karnataka].”
However, the Chief Minister did not provide any specific details or evidence to support his fresh claim of vote manipulation in Karnataka. The Congress government in the state is already managing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into a separate, previously reported case of alleged deletion of voters in the Aland assembly constituency ahead of the 2023 elections.
Puzzled by Mahagathbandhan’s Setback
Despite alleging fraud, Siddaramaiah admitted he was still processing the scale of the defeat for the Congress-RJD-led Mahagathbandhan (MGB) and the reasons behind the NDA’s overwhelming victory.
Siddaramaiah: “We have to accept the mandate of the people. I don’t know what caused the setback. I had not gone there (to Bihar). I don’t know who did not vote (for us), why the NDA has won with a big majority. I will try to know.”
In response to a question on why the crucial OBC (Other Backward Class) votes did not consolidate behind the Mahagathbandhan, Siddaramaiah pointed out that the NDA’s leadership included key OBC figures like Nitish Kumar, asking, “Who is Nitish Kumar? Isn’t he OBC?”
The statement from the Karnataka CM underscores the internal struggle within the Congress to come to terms with the magnitude of the defeat, even as it maintains its public stance questioning the integrity of the electoral process itself.