BJP to Rahul Gandhi: ‘Stop Blaming EVMs if Congress Can’t Tackle Elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stating that if the Congress party is unable to strategize effectively for elections, it should stop blaming electronic voting machines (EVMs). BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra emphasized that leadership in politics is earned through qualities, not imposed by mere demand.

Patra’s comments followed remarks from Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had stated that Congress must justify its leadership role within the opposition INDIA alliance, rather than taking it for granted. Abdullah’s statement highlighted internal tensions within the opposition bloc, where different partners often project separate leaders. Patra interpreted Abdullah’s comments as a direct message to Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that the Congress leader’s conduct in Parliament may have led to such criticism.

The debate over EVMs also continued to dominate political discussions. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee responded to concerns over EVM credibility by urging those questioning their reliability to prove their claims through demonstrations. He emphasized that if proper procedures, such as EVM randomization and mock polling, are followed, there should be no issues with the machines’ integrity.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis weighed in, urging Congress to reflect on its election defeats instead of blaming EVMs. He pointed out that Congress had no issues with EVMs when they won elections in states like Karnataka and Jharkhand, but faced losses in Maharashtra and quickly turned to the EVM blame game. Fadnavis used the example of Omar Abdullah’s own political rise to argue that if EVMs were truly problematic, Abdullah would never have become Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister.

This exchange highlights the ongoing tension between the ruling BJP and opposition parties, particularly over election strategies and the credibility of the EVMs used in India’s elections.