'No anti-incumbency for BJP, Modi': Rahul Gandhi intensifies attack on CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid row

The BJP rejected Gandhi’s allegations, saying Election Commission decisions were unanimous and questioning the basis of the report on internal differences.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday blamed Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for destroying the chain between polls and the Constitution, and asked him to “turn approver”.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference, at AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI)

Gandhi’s remarks came after a report in The Indian Express said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times in the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the poll panel, including those related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

“The two Election Commissioners have essentially said that votes don’t exist in India. They are also saying the man they believe responsible is Gyanesh Kumar. He has been appointed by Prime Minister of India. The reason nothing happened (after) all the letters is because there is a protector of Gyanesh Kumar who is sitting on top,” he said.

Calling for Kumar’s immediate resignation, Gandhi said, “I want to tell Gyanesh Kumar, you are a highly educated person: the thing that you have done is an act against India. This is an attack against legal structure and Constitution. We are not going to let democracy be destroyed. The two ECs have done a wise thing. They have come clean. Gyanesh Kumar should think seriously and he should turn approver. That would be an act of nationalism.”

Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, industrialist Gautam Adani, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and PM’s principal secretary PK Mishra were “conspirators” in what he described as manipulation of elections.

He also claimed that even if the BJP wins the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, people would not believe the result as polls were being “rigged” by Kumar. “From ‘vote chori’, comes ‘kanoon chori’ and from that comes ‘sanstha chori’,” he said.

The Congress leader also read out his dissent note against Kumar’s appointment as CEC, saying “the most fundamental aspect of an independent EC, to be free from executive interference, is the process of choosing the ECs and the CEC.”

He questioned the absence of anti-incumbency against the BJP and Modi, saying every PM and chief minister faces it. “I can understand they win once or twice. But it’s impossible to win three terms. Every Prime Minister or chief minister faces anti-incumbency. But there is no anti-incumbency against BJP and Modi!” Gandhi said.

BJP rejects allegations

The BJP rejected Gandhi’s allegations, with party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accusing him of creating a “hype” over a media report on differences within the Election Commission.

“All decisions (at the Election Commission) were taken unanimously. There is no evidence that the decisions were taken by majority,” Trivedi said.

He questioned the basis of the Indian Express report, saying it did not carry a comment from the Election Commission or any of the election commissioners. “What is the basis of the report?” he asked.

Trivedi also criticised Gandhi’s remarks on anti-incumbency, citing the Congress’s electoral record in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. “He (Rahul Gandhi) stated that anti-incumbency is an established truth in this country and that this phenomenon has persisted since the BJP came to power. I feel that, politically speaking, Rahul Gandhi is devoid of wisdom and knowledge; he fails to grasp the reality. Anti-incumbency has certainly been very consistent and strong against the Congress,” Trivedi said.

“The Congress has never returned to power in Tamil Nadu since 1967, a time when the BJP did not even exist. The Congress has not returned to power in Bengal since 1977; the Communists ruled there for 34 years from 1977 to 2011, yet Rahul Gandhi neither understands nor sees this.”

The BJP leader also described Gandhi as “prapanch shiromani (master manipulator)” and alleged that the presentation used by him at the press conference was based on “unknown and dubious sources”.

Congress leader KC Venugopal meanwhile announced protests demanding Kumar’s resignation. He said Pradesh Congress Committees would organise protest marches to state election commission offices on Friday, followed by district-level protests on September 28.

Sonia, floor leaders to sign impeachment notice

Opposition parties have started collecting signatures for a fresh impeachment notice against CEC Kumar. In a change of strategy, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and all Opposition floor leaders are expected to sign the notice. In the recent past, impeachment notices were signed by Opposition lawmakers, while senior leaders holding key positions in the Houses were kept out of the exercise.

“This time all senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi will sign the notice,” said a senior leader.

Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said that the new notice would be given in both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. He hinted that an Opposition meeting might also be called soon. “TMC loves to be the squirrel in the garden,” O’Brien said, indicating the party’s hard work for the Opposition group.