Siddaramaiah said that Rahul Gandhi has credible evidence of voter fraud in the Assembly constituencies of Mahadevapura and Rajajinagar during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
Published Aug 01, 2025 | 9:04 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 07, 2025 | 6:53 PM
Congress leaders overseeing the preparation. (X/ Siddaramaiah)
Synopsis: Congress plans a protest on 5 August at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park, led by Rahul Gandhi, alleging voter fraud in Karnataka. CM Siddaramaiah claims credible evidence, while BJP leaders dismiss the charges as baseless and politically motivated. BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar criticised the delay in raising the issue and accused Congress of undermining institutions for political gain.
Rahul Gandhi’s planned protest on 5 August on the issue of Voter Fraud is heating things up in the state.
Senior Congress leader and former MLC Ramesh Babu speaking to South First said that they have planned the protest at Freedom Park at 10.30am on 5 August.
“The protest will be attended by dignitaries, including AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, CM Siddaramaiah, DCM DK Shivakumar, AICC General Secretaries KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala,” he said, adding, “They will narrate the misdeeds of the Election Commission of India and how this body indirectly supported the BJP with facts and figures. Thereafter, they will hand over a representation to the ECI.”
Noting that, this was the plan of action as of now, Ramesh Babu added, “However, there will be no rally since there is a high court order against holding such.”
Rahul Gandhi has accused the ruling BJP of “stealing elections”. On 23 July, amid a separate controversy regarding electoral roll revisions in Bihar, Gandhi claimed that the Congress had uncovered the modus operandi of vote manipulation after a deep analysis of a single Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka.
On the night of Thursday, 31 July, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah attended a meeting at the KPCC office to discuss preparations. Later, he visited the event venue at Freedom Park. AICC General Secretaries Randeep Singh Surjewala and KC Venugopal, KPCC President DK Shivakumar, and several other leaders were also present.
AICC General Secretary Randeep Surjewala speaking at the KPCC office said the protest is being organised to “Highlight the discrepancies in the voters list. You will get shocking reports on that.”
Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah said that Rahul Gandhi has credible evidence of voter fraud in the Assembly segments of Mahadevapura and Rajajinagar during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
Speaking to the media at Freedom Park, the Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said they need to protect the Constitution and the voters’ rights, and the struggle for that would get more strength if it starts from Karnataka. He added that the party leaders will talk about irregularities during the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state.
In a strongly-worded statement issued in Bengaluru, former minister and Rajajinagar BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar said that of late, Rahul Gandhi has been trying to build a new narrative by using the terminologies such as “Stealing of Votes” or “Votes Stolen” in his desperate attempt remain in currency.
“I am of the considered view that the entire Congress leadership, both at the Centre and at the State, starting from Rahul Gandhi need to consult a psychiatrist and undergo psychological counselling as of late they have been making absurd and ridiculous remarks,” Suresh Kumar said and added, “This kind of casting aspersion on Rajajinagar Assembly Constituency tantamount to insulting the wise, matured and responsible voters of Rajajinagar Constituency”
Explaining the election results with the help of statistics in the last four Lok Sabha elections, Suresh Kumar said, “BJP has been consistently scoring lead in all the elections starting 2009. In 2009, the BJP’s lead was 21,304, in 2014 the lead was 48,602, in 2019 the lead was 44,004 and in 2024 the lead was 39,529”
He further added, “Similarly, the increase in the number of votes in Rajajinagar Assembly segment is also marginal. While the total number of votes in 2009 was 1,80,000, the total votes number of votes in 2014 was 1,94,316. In 2019, the total number of votes was 2,11,000 and in 2024 the total number of votes is 2,01, 287,” questioning, “Where is the question of stealing of votes arise, as alleged by the Congress leaders.”
The former law and parliamentary affairs minister also questioned the timing of raising the issue.
“The Lok Sabha elections were held in April 2024. Results were announced in May 2024. Today we are in August 2025. How is it that the Congress has raised the issue after 16 months? Moreover, there is a system in the Election Commission where representatives of all political parties would be present while looking into the voters list. Why, then, the Congress party representative not raise the objection before the elections. Congress leadership will not be able to answer these valid questions as they are on a weak wicket,” Suresh Kumar contented.
Suresh Kumar also expressed surprise over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah echoing Rahul Gandhi’s opinion. “I know Siddaramaiah as a wise, matured and experienced political leader. But he has expressed his solidarity with the absurd stance of Rahul Gandhi.”
“Obviously, Siddaramaiah has to safeguard and retain his chief minister’s post. I can understand his compulsion,” the BJP leader taunted.
Another BJP leader, Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, speaking to South First said, “Rahul first needs to sit in Freedom Park and tell his government to maintain law and order in Karnataka.”
“Karnataka government is busy demoralising the police force… Rahul Gandhi is probably trying to divert attention and do drama in Karnataka. They won in Karnataka with 135 seats, is he trying to say that the voter list was not right?” he wondered.
“For Rahul Gandhi, it is just a matter of not respecting any institution in India. Be it the ECI, the courts or anybody. It is only about dynasty. We feel it is just another gimmick he is doing in Karnataka,” the MP said.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
