Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of engaging in vote theft and manipulation of electoral rolls, Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the Ramlila Maidan has turned into the “Haldighati of democracy” with a massive turnout of people and predicted that the “wave of support” would lead to political change.
Asserting that Uttar Pradesh had already begun the process of change, he declared that the BJP would be permanently ousted from power in the state in 2027 and would not return.
He claimed that the ruling party was weakening democracy with the alleged support of the Election Commission.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was addressing the INDIA bloc “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.
Yadav said the entire Opposition bloc stood united against what he described as systematic attempts to subvert the electoral process. “The BJP cannot win elections fairly, so it is colluding with the Election Commission to indulge in malpractice,” he said, according to a statement issued by the Samajwadi Party.
He alleged that the chief election commissioner was central to the “conspiracy” of vote theft and voter list irregularities, and claimed a private company was also involved. He said that those raising their voices against such practices faced conspiracies and suppression by the BJP government.
{{/usCountry}}He alleged that the chief election commissioner was central to the “conspiracy” of vote theft and voter list irregularities, and claimed a private company was also involved. He said that those raising their voices against such practices faced conspiracies and suppression by the BJP government.
{{/usCountry}}Referring to recent protests in Delhi, he said young people who came out against the alleged manipulations were met with police force and lathi-charge, an experience the youth would not forget.
The SP leader accused the BJP of committing the “sin” of destroying democracy and warned that “sinners meet their end.” He also alleged large-scale theft of donations and offerings at the Ram temple in Ayodhya under the BJP regime.
Akhilesh Yadav claimed even BJP leaders were now acknowledging irregularities in voter lists. He cited Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s reported statement that 1.27 crore Hindu votes had been cut in the state, amounting to roughly 31,000 votes per assembly constituency across 403 seats.
This, Yadav said, indicated the BJP’s awareness of its impending defeat. He pointed to the BJP’s dual losses in the recent Legislative Council elections in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing the outcome as a “double zero” for the party despite recounting efforts.
He further alleged that the BJP had “looted” elections in West Bengal through Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the deployment of large forces to intimidate voters. Yadav recalled similar allegations of force and intimidation during the Rampur bypoll in Uttar Pradesh earlier, claiming voters, including women, were prevented from casting ballots.
Referring to the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Yadav said the Samajwadi Party had documented the deletion of large numbers of its supporters from voter lists —people who had voted in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls—and submitted numerous affidavits to the Election Commission, but no action was taken against those responsible. He claimed action was beginning only after public outrage grew.
“We are citizens of India only as long as we have the right to vote. Democracy and the Constitution will be saved only through the vote,” Yadav said.