Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak on Wednesday, 7 October charged that Opposition parties are 'trying their luck' by 'spreading anarchy and disorder' in a bid to win elections, as the INDIA bloc stepped up its protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Trigger: INDIA Bloc's Protest Over Electoral Roll Revision

The Opposition alliance has alleged irregularities in the conduct of the SIR — a periodic exercise to cleanse and update voter lists — and has called for the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The protest has intensified in recent days, drawing sharp responses from the ruling establishment. Pathak dismissed the campaign as a manufactured political narrative.

'I think that since the Opposition parties are unable to win elections, they want to create an atmosphere by spreading disorder and anarchy in the country. They are trying their luck, thinking that perhaps they can win elections by doing this,' Pathak said.

BJP's Defence of the SIR Process

The BJP National General Secretary pushed back firmly on Opposition criticism of the electoral roll revision exercise. 'As I had spoken in the Parliament about SIR, no one should have any problem with the process. Who could have a problem with cleaning up of the voter list? It has been done several times before, so where is the problem? The problem here is that they are unable to win,' Pathak said.

He further argued that the Opposition raises objections to election-related processes selectively — only in states where they lose. 'The Opposition doesn't have any problem with SIR in the states where they win polls,' he remarked, calling it a double standard.

Patiala Local Body Polls: BJP Counters 'Vote Chori' Narrative

Pathak went on the offensive by citing a Supreme Court order directing fresh elections in 28 wards of the Patiala Municipal Corporation, conducted during the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab. 'Real vote chori has taken place there. Rest are the narratives being set by the Opposition,' he alleged. The reference was a pointed counter to Opposition rhetoric around electoral manipulation.

Taking a jibe at the Indian National Congress, Pathak said: 'They should write a book on how to lose elections...they lost the Haryana Assembly polls despite being almost on the verge of winning it.'

Pathak Hails PM Modi's 25 Years in Public Life

The BJP leader also used the occasion to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 25 years in public service, crediting him with transforming India's governance architecture. 'First, he served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and after that, he has been serving as the country's Prime Minister. Now, the way he has devoted his life to serving the country over these 25 years, is for everyone to see,' Pathak said.

He highlighted flagship programmes including Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) — which extended banking access to previously unbanked citizens — and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) as examples of technology-driven governance that reduced corruption. Pathak added that Modi's push for digitalisation, farmer welfare, and advances in the science and defence sectors were among the 'fundamental steps' that have propelled India forward, with the country now focused on the 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision.

As the electoral roll controversy shows no sign of abating, the stand-off between the ruling BJP and the INDIA bloc over CEC Gyanesh Kumar's continuation is likely to escalate ahead of upcoming state elections.