New Delhi: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent criticism of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, calling them a “blueprint for rigging democracy,” has sparked a major political row. Gandhi’s remarks, made in a newspaper article, questioned the integrity of voter lists and alleged manipulation of the electoral process.
How to steal an election?
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 7, 2025
Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy.
My article shows how this happened, step by step:
Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission
Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll
Step 3: Inflate voter… pic.twitter.com/ntCwtPVXTu
In sharp response, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused the Congress of undermining public trust in India’s democratic institutions. Comparing the strategy to that of billionaire George Soros, Malviya said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter):
“When Congress wins — be it in Telangana or Karnataka — the same system is hailed as fair and just. But when they lose — from Haryana to Maharashtra — the whining and conspiracy theories begin, without fail. This is straight out of George Soros’ playbook — systematically erode people’s faith in their own institutions, so they can be cracked open from within for political gains.”
“India’s democracy is strong. Its institutions are resilient. And the Indian voter is wise. No amount of manipulation will change that.”
Malviya further argued that Gandhi’s real intent was to sow chaos, not to clarify:
“It is not that Rahul Gandhi doesn’t understand how the electoral process works. He does very well. But his goal is not clarity, it is chaos. His repeated attempts to sow seeds of doubt and dissension in the minds of voters about our institutional processes are deliberate.”
Election Commission Rejects Gandhi’s Claims
The Election Commission of India (ECI) also issued a strong rebuttal, calling Gandhi’s allegations “absurd” and “unsubstantiated.” In a formal statement, the ECI said:
“Unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are an affront to the rule of law. The Election Commission brought out all these facts in its reply to the INC on 24th December 2024 itself, which is available on ECI’s website. It appears that all these facts are completely being ignored while raising such issues again and again.”
The controversy arises at a critical time, with the political atmosphere heating up ahead of the Bihar elections. Gandhi’s repeated criticisms of electoral institutions are seen by opponents as part of a broader narrative to cast doubt on democratic processes when the results are unfavorable.