Mumbai: Following Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi’s explosive allegations that the BJP rigged elections with the help of the Election Commission, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) staged an aggressive protest in Mumbai on Friday.
Under the leadership of MPCC president Harsvardhan Sapkal, party workers and leaders took to the streets in Dadar, blocking traffic for over an hour and raising slogans against the BJP government and the Election Commission. Senior Congress leaders including Mohan Joshi, Rajan Bhonsle, Kishor Kanher, chief spokesperson Atul Londhe, and Anant Gadgil joined hundreds of activists in the protest.
Earlier, addressing a press conference at Tilak Bhavan, Sapkal accused both the BJP and the Election Commission of undermining democracy. He praised Rahul Gandhi for presenting “logical and evidence-backed proof” of large-scale electoral malpractice and criticised the government for failing to order an SIT probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation. “Despite clear evidence, neither the central government nor the Election Commission acted. Instead, they absurdly asked Rahul Gandhi to file an affidavit,” Sapkal said.
Citing the Election Commission’s 1960 rules, Sapkal pointed out that under Rules 17, 18, and 19, any formal objection must be immediately investigated. “Why is the inquiry not being conducted?” he questioned.
Taking a personal swipe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sapkal labelled him the “Chip Minister” instead of Chief Minister, accusing him of arrogance and acting as a “spokesperson” for the Election Commission. “Whenever the Commission is criticised, BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and Fadnavis, rush to defend it because the entire system is tainted,” he alleged.
On BJP’s claim that Congress failed to raise objections during voting, Sapkal clarified that the party had filed complaints both during and after polling, submitted evidence to the Election Commission, and supported defeated candidates who approached the High Court. “The BJP is trying to mislead the public,” he said.
The MPCC has announced that it will intensify its agitation against alleged vote theft across Maharashtra through rallies, marches, and statewide campaigns.
