Shirdi: A major controversy has erupted after Congress MP and leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged in the Parliament that over 7,000 voters were fraudulently registered in a single building in Shirdi assembly constituency. Gandhi's statements have triggered a war of words between the BJP and Congress in Maharashtra.
On Monday, Gandhi said in the Parliament, "Between Lok Sabha elections and Vidhan Sabha elections, voting population of Himachal was added to the voter rolls of Maharashtra. The difference of voters between Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Maharashtra was almost same as the population of Himachal. Almost 70 lakh new voters suddenly arrived. Interestingly, 7000 new voters were added in a single building in Shirdi. This is not an allegation. I'm saying there is something problematic in this."
Congress leader Prabhavati Ghogare, who contested against senior BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil for the Shirdi Assembly constituency in 2024 elections, has backed the claims made by Rahul Gandhi. She alleged that on polling day when she along with her supporters reached the booth at the Ahilyabai Holkar Secondary School in Loni Budruk, she found many school students casting vote at the polling station.
"When I interacted with the students, I found that many of them were from other districts and some had come from outside Maharashtra. All these students were studying in Pravara Medical and Engineering institutes linked to Vikhe Patil.
She further alleged that polling officials did not take any action when she apprised them of the matter. "Even when results were declared, EC officials did not pay any heed to our complaint. After voting figures from 23 polling stations in Loni Budruk and Loni Khurd were out, we realised that more than 7000 votes were polled illegally," she told mediapersons.
Reportedly, the matter was discussed in Congress' core committee meeting in Delhi a month ago, following which Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi raised the issue in the Parliament on Monday.
In response, BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil refuted the claims as baseless, and slammed Rahul Gandhi for 'not being able to digest BJP’s electoral success'. "Rahul Gandhi should be aware of the facts before making any such statements. Congress party is sad that BJP received a big mandate in the state (Maharashtra). They (Congress) do not have the numbers to even decide the Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra. Rahul Gandhi needs to worry about that," Patil criticised.
Taking an indirect dig at Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, Vikhe Patil said, "People of Maharashtra made many senior leaders sit at home. The party is now struggling for existence."
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