Today in Politics: Rahul Gandhi puts EC, BJP on notice. But does he hold a smoking gun?
That earthquake never came to pass and the BJP easily weathered the demonetisation storm and subsequent political challenges amid the relentless march of its electoral machinery. Almost nine years down the line, faced with an important Assembly election in Bihar, Gandhi has dropped another teaser: this time, promising an 'atom bomb' of proof about the Election Commission's (EC) involvement in 'stealing votes' for the BJP. 'We will find you,' the Congress leader warned those involved in this alleged conspiracy, including EC officials present and past.
While some may be circumspect about the claims of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), it is nonetheless a matter of curiosity as well as importance for the health of Indian democracy: what is this 'atom bomb'? Have Gandhi and the Congress really dug up a smoking gun? In his remarks, the Congress leader hinted it might have something to do with Maharashtra, something both he and his party have been raising since the elections late last year.
In an opinion article in The Indian Express about a couple of months ago, Gandhi penned down some of his concerns, raising questions, among other things, about an 'inflated number of voters' and 'inflated turnout figures'. In short, he suggested that the election was rigged. However, as a scrutiny of his claims revealed, the Congress's own agents on the ground did not raise objections about the supposed jump in the number of voters in the few months separating the Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly polls. Plus, Gandhi's concern about the turnout rising by 7.83 percentage points, or 76 lakh voters, also has an explanation.
The immediate question then becomes: do the LoP and his party have more? There are also the other bigger questions: what could be the possible endgame for the Congress in suggesting that the electoral system is compromised, and will the party be as vocal on the issue, for instance, if the Mahagathbandhan ends up winning in Bihar later this year? Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and it is now up to the LoP to ensure this does not turn out to be a case like the 2016 'earthquake' teaser. Given the genuine concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and the upper hand the Opposition seems to have on this issue, Gandhi and his party's allies cannot afford to have the 'atom bomb' blow up in their face.
PM's schedule
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, on Saturday. He will inaugurate and lay the foundation of projects worth Rs 2,200 crore. Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting in Banauli (Kalika Dham) village in the Sevapuri Assembly constituency.
During the visit, the PM will release the 20th instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for farmers. He will also announce a four-lane widening of the Varanasi-Bhadohi road, the construction of a railway overbridge, and the installation of advanced medical equipment at cancer hospitals in UP. The PM, according to officials, will lay the foundation stones of a government homoeopathic medical college and hospital, a new district library, a museum at author Munshi Premchand's house in Lamahi, and a Rs 881-crore underground cabling project.
Congress conclave
On Saturday, the Congress is set to organise a day-long conclave on Constitutional challenges and the way forward. Starting with the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, the Congress has been raising the pitch about the Constitution being under attack from the BJP.
According to All India Congress Committee (AICC) Department of Law, Human Rights, and RTI chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, top party leaders, including president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will address the conclave. Congress Chief Ministers Siddaramaiah (Karnataka), A Revanth Reddy (Telangana), and Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh) are also among the 41 speakers at the daylong event.
— With PTI inputs
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