EC gaslighting citizens, alleges Rahul on Maha civics polls (Image: Rediff)
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Election Commission of “gaslighting citizens” after claims surfaced that marker pens were used to ink voters’ fingers during Maharashtra civic polls, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election.
"Election commission gaslighting citizens is how trust has collapsed in our democracy. Vote Chori is an anti-national act,” Rahul Gandhi in a post on X said.
The opposition, led by Rahul Gandhi and the Shiv Sena (UBT), has raised serious allegations of 'vote chori' (vote theft), citing malfunctioning EVMs and the controversial use of marker pens instead of indelible ink.
Vote counting was held for 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, with results indicating a decisive edge for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance led by Eknath Shinde.
In Mumbai, the Mahayuti alliance looks to cross the majority mark of 114 seats required to gain control of the BMC, a civic body long considered a stronghold of the Thackeray family.
Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena contested the polls together but appeared unable to halt the Mahayuti's momentum.
The Congress, along with ally Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, managed to secure control in Latur but failed to make a broader impact across the state's civic elections.
