The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has stepped up its response to Opposition allegations that elections in the country were being rigged and that the Election Commission (EC) was not functioning independently.
The issue has gained traction following reports of differences within the poll panel over several matters, including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Both the EC and the BJP have rejected the allegations.
According to people aware of the party's strategy, the BJP does not want the issue to develop into a wider street campaign, citing earlier protests over the farm laws, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and exam paper leaks.
BJP points to Bihar poll outcome
Several BJP leaders have differed on how much impact the allegations could have on the ground. Some within the party believe the issue could find resonance among voters, while others point to the Bihar Assembly elections as evidence that similar allegations did not translate into electoral gains for the Opposition.
“Rahul Gandhi and Tejasvi Yadav (of the Rashtriya Janata Dal) undertook a 1,300 km yatra across 25 districts and alleged that 6.5 million voters were impacted by the SIR…We saw how the Congress and the RJD were routed in the polls. Had the allegations been true, people would have come out in protest,” a senior BJP leader who was part of the Bihar campaign said.
Another party leader said the BJP was nevertheless increasing its outreach because issues such as voter identity could have a broader impact.
“Issues such as caste, amenities, social welfare schemes and the leader are key poll planks. But there are certain issues that have wider ramification and more resonance on the ground as they are not limited to a certain section or class such as education, employment and now the burden of having to prove identity. It is therefore important that we address this concern before it becomes a fake narrative with a strong hold,” the leader said.
BJP uses Bengal data to defend SIR
The BJP has maintained that SIR is a legal framework to identify ineligible voters and address discrepancies in electoral rolls.
BJP MP Sambit Patra has also cited West Bengal's election results to counter the Opposition's allegations. He pointed to 20 Assembly constituencies with the highest voter deletions, where the TMC won 13 seats, the BJP six and the Congress one.
“In Shamsherganj, 74,775 votes were deleted and the TMC won; in Lalgola, 55,420 votes were deleted and the TMC won; in Bhagawangola, 47,493 votes were deleted and the TMC won… The TMC and the Congress were the parties winning most of the seats where the highest number of votes had been deleted,” Patra said.
Opposition attacks EC, allies seek clarity
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has questioned the election process and alleged irregularities, prompting a counter from BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi.
“Gandhi has presented ‘anti-incumbency’ as an established truth in the country, and that too after the BJP came to power. Politically devoid of wisdom and knowledge, he does not understand that the truth is that anti-incumbency has remained highly consistent and strong against the Congress,” Trivedi said.
The BJP's concern also extends to reactions from some allies. The Lok Jan Shakti Party has called for greater clarity from the EC on the issue.
“About 13 crore families are affected, which means the problem is expansive and affected roughly one third of the population…unlike the farm laws that affected only a smaller section, paper leaks and SIR have an impact on a larger set of people and the BJP’s defence of the EC will not cut ice,” a third party leader said.