Should We Reflect on Democracy Instead of Insulting It? CM Fadnavis Responds to Rahul Gandhi's Poll Rigging Claims

Mumbai, June 8 (NationPress) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday refuted all accusations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding rigging and match-fixing in the upcoming 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

In his articles titled 'Those Rejected by the People Deny the Mandate', published in the same three newspapers where Gandhi's pieces appeared, CM Fadnavis urged the Congress MP to accept defeat, reflect on past mistakes, and understand the reasons behind the disconnect with the electorate.

He mocked Gandhi, suggesting that he was already crafting excuses for anticipated losses in the forthcoming Bihar and other Assembly elections.

CM Fadnavis accused Gandhi of persistently disrespecting democracy and undermining the people's mandate.

"The electorate has turned away from Rahul Gandhi, and in retaliation, he dismisses the people, leading Congress further into despair," the Chief Minister asserted.

He challenged Gandhi to spend a day with his party MLAs to ponder their remarks.

"Consistently questioning democratic practices and constitutional entities poisons our nation," CM Fadnavis cautioned.

"I comprehend the agony of defeat in Maharashtra, but if you disparage the mandate of Maharashtra's farmers, beloved sisters, and ordinary citizens, the populace will never pardon you," he stated.

In response to Gandhi's comment about the surge in voting rates during the last hour, CM Fadnavis countered, "Analyzing the total voting percentage throughout the day shows an average hourly voting rate of 5.83 percent. What is new in claiming a rise of 7.83 percent during the final hour? The timeframe from 5 to 6 p.m. is designated for voting, and anyone arriving at the booth by 6 p.m. can cast their vote; doesn't Rahul Gandhi understand this?"

Addressing Gandhi's allegations, CM Fadnavis noted, "Gandhi claimed an increased voter turnout at 12,000 polling stations across only 85 constituencies, with most seats going to the NDA. However, he failed to mention an 18 percent increase in Madha, where the NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar's candidate triumphed, a 13 percent increase in Vani, where the Uddhav Thackeray group's candidate prevailed, and a 12 percent increase in Shrirampur, where Congress emerged victorious."

Regarding Gandhi's assertion about the growing number of voters, he remarked that out of 40,81,229 voters in the Assembly elections, 26,46,608 were youth voters.

He further elaborated, "From 2014 to 2019, 63 lakh new voters were registered; between 2009 and 2014, there were 75 lakh new voters, and 1 crore new voters from 2004 to 2009. Thus, it’s not surprising that something extraordinary occurred in 2024."

"Statistics indicate the voter increase between Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. In 2004, there was a 5 percent increase in the Legislative Assembly compared to Lok Sabha, 4 percent in 2009, 3 percent in 2014, and 1 percent in 2019. For 2024, the increase is 4 percent. Therefore, nothing unusual happened in 2024," CM Fadnavis concluded.