New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee brought his party’s protests against the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll from West Bengal to Delhi and joined Rahul Gandhi in alleging “vote chori” against the poll body.
However, Rahul’s charges were framed as a broad, systemic assault on institutions tied to the 2024 general elections that included SIR, while Abhishek’s remarks after Wednesday’s meeting focused only on the voters’ list revision process in West Bengal, demanding specific technical disclosures from the Election Commission.
At the same time, the Trinamool General Secretary has joined National Conference leader and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in ruling out any evidence suggesting the manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). Incidentally, the Congress had raised concerns over Abdullah's dismissal of allegations related to EVMs.
Meanwhile, ahead of Bihar Assembly election held this year, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had also rolled down his pitch after hinting at a possible poll boycott when the SIR process was going on in Bihar.
Though he had participated in a statewide “voter empowerment” journey with Rahul Gandhi, he did not later match the Congress decibel in alleging electoral rolls being used to manipulate voter list in ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) favour. Thus, numerous – varied, similar, opposing – issues related to the integrity of elections are being pitched, and some contradicted, even as the poll body goes about its business.
Abhishek claimed that had the Congress paid more attention to the preparation of electoral rolls, it could have saved itself against consecutive defeats in Maharashtra, Haryana, etc. He even advised other Opposition parties take heed to his call and join the tirade against Election Commission. Like Rahul, Abhishek accused the poll body of enabling or failing to prevent alleged “vote theft” and demanded accountability and transparency from the Commission.
But while the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha made the allegations in media addresses, the Trinamool General Secretary met an Election Commission bench face‑to‑face, at least on two occasions, including Wednesday. Again, Rahul refrained from launching any further procedural exercise, claiming his responsibility was only to inform, not rectify, Abhishek has signalled possible recourse – Parliamentary or legal – later.
In August 2025, the Congress leader claimed that his party had found evidence of electoral fraud in the 2024 general election and repeatedly used the phrase “vote chori”. He had spoken of a “full‑scale assault” on institutional frameworks and that agencies had been weaponised; he pointed to specific anomalies such as voter‑list discrepancies in some specific constituencies and said the Congress had not received satisfactory responses from the poll body.
The ECI later responded with a press briefing rebutting the charges, explaining technical issues – duplications, house‑number anomalies, and the SIR process – and defended the integrity of voter rolls and the revision exercise.
Abhishek Banerjee took an appointment and led a 10-member Trinamool delegation to the Election Commission in Delhi and held a press briefing. He too used the “vote chori” term, alleging the Commission had “no concrete answer to anything” except clarity on a couple of points.
Now it is to be seen if any other political party matches this pitch in alleging foul play against the poll body, or go to the hustings after lodging a formal protest, like the Opposition in Bihar.
--IANS
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