Bengaluru: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Friday sought to give heft to Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote theft by claiming that he too was a victim of electoral fraud during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections — his first-ever electoral defeat in his political career.At Congress party’s ‘Vote Adhikar Rally’ at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, Kharge said the Union govt led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a govt that “indulges in theft”. “PM Narendra Modi is making this country cry with bogus votes,” he said. “I never lost an election until 2019. I lost because of bogus votes, which has now come to light.”He alleged that his defeat from Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka was due to manipulation of the voter list. “In five of the eight assembly segments, my opponents secured at least 20,000 bogus votes,” he said.He accused the Election Commission of operating under directions from Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Expanding on his allegations to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Kharge said, “In Maharashtra and Karnataka, he (Modi) used the same trick. Modi and company did not legitimately win the 2024 elections.”He went on to say, “The last (Lok Sabha) election was one of betrayal. Modi’s strategy is that even if people do not vote, he and Shah order the Election Commission to decide where to vote less and where to vote more. Modi has already intimidated Congress and other parties and gained a majority.”Invoking the legacy of the freedom struggle, Kharge said, “Our tall leaders carried out the Quit India Movement on Aug 9. In the same way, we are going to do or die to protect the Constitution. I thank Rahul Gandhi. He is working to spread awareness among the people. He is ready for anything. Even though he has 40-50 cases against him, he is continuing his good work.”He said the pattern of vote manipulation was being discussed within the INDI alliance. “We met on Thursday at the residence of Rahul Gandhi, where we explained the situation in detail to our allies,” he said. “We sought to ensure unity and a united front across our alliance to oust the Modi-led central govt. We will take out a procession to the Central Election Commission (CEC in Delhi) and submit a memorandum on Monday.“He said the memorandum would declare ECI officials complicit and render them ineligible to continue in their positions.Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said the party would set up “legal banks” across all assembly constituencies. “These banks will serve to protect votes of people and act on lines of blood banks at hospitals,” he said.Chief minister Siddaramaiah demanded PM Modi’s resignation, calling BJP a “Manuvadhi party” that had lost moral authority. Ministers R Ramalinga Reddy, Dinesh Gundu Rao and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan also accused BJP of winning seats despite losing assembly polls in the same regions last year.
