Priyanka Gandhi hits out at BJP over ECI row, calls remarks 'lame excuses'
Synopsis
Priyanka Gandhi escalated Congress's assault on the BJP and the Election Commission in Wayanad on Friday, branding the ruling party's defence 'lame excuses' and alleging that deleting 13 crore voters from electoral rolls amounts to treason. Coming a day after Rahul Gandhi demanded CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, the Gandhi siblings have opened a two-front attack that could define the opposition's narrative heading into the next round of state elections.
Key Takeaways
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on 25 September accused the BJP of 'meddling' with elections and called its defence of the ECI row a 'lame excuse'.
She alleged 13 crore voters have been deleted from electoral rolls, citing evidence presented by her brother Rahul Gandhi at multiple press conferences.
She said if the BJP-led Centre directed the Election Commission of India to carry out the deletions, 'it is an act of treason'.
Rahul Gandhi the previous day demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 's resignation, calling the alleged voter deletions 'an attack on the Constitution'.
The dispute centres on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with a media report claiming differences within the ECI over the process.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday, 25 September launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Wayanad, Kerala, dismissing the party's charge that Congress questions electoral outcomes only when it loses — calling it a 'lame excuse' and accusing the BJP of 'meddling' with elections. Her remarks come amid a widening political dispute triggered by a media report alleging differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
What Priyanka Gandhi Said
Speaking to reporters in her parliamentary constituency of Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi did not hold back. 'That's a very stale and weak story. There are facts, and there is evidence. It is there for the whole country to see. My brother (Rahul Gandhi) has shown it in many different press conferences. He has put the evidence forward. Now it is very clear: 13 crore voters have been deleted,' she said.
She went further, directly accusing the BJP-led Centre of directing the poll body. 'This is a lame excuse, and the BJP should stop making lame excuses. If they are meddling with the elections and if their leadership is making the Election Commission do this, then it is an act of treason, and they should be aware of it and take ownership,' she added.
Priyanka Gandhi also accused the ruling party of growing 'overconfident' through what she alleged was systematic poll manipulation. 'How many years has it been that they have been rigging elections? Naturally, they are so overconfident all the time,' she said.
Rahul Gandhi's Earlier Broadside
Priyanka Gandhi's remarks follow a press conference a day earlier by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who called on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and turn 'approver' in what he described as an alleged 'stealing' of votes. Rahul Gandhi questioned the 'absence of anti-incumbency' against the BJP and warned: 'What you have done amounts to treason. It is an attack on the Constitution and the legal structure of the country... We are not going to let democracy be destroyed in India and sit in silence. People who are responsible for this are going to get punished someday or the other.'
The ECI Row at the Centre of the Storm
The controversy stems from a media report that reportedly indicated internal disagreements within the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls — a process that Congress claims has resulted in the deletion of 13 crore voters from the rolls. The BJP has not independently confirmed or denied the specific figures cited by Congress leaders. The ECI has not issued a detailed public rebuttal to the Congress allegations as of Friday.
Broader Political Context
This is not the first time Congress has raised concerns over electoral roll management. The party has, over several election cycles, flagged alleged discrepancies in voter deletions, particularly in states where BJP won. Critics argue the timing of such allegations — often post-election — dilutes their impact, though Congress maintains it has now presented evidence ahead of upcoming state polls. The BJP, for its part, has consistently countered that Congress resorts to questioning institutions only when electoral results do not favour it.
With state assembly elections approaching in several key states, the row over the SIR and the ECI's independence is likely to intensify as both parties gear up for the next electoral cycle.
Point of View
That 13 crore voters were deleted at the BJP's direction, demands proportionate evidence that goes beyond press conferences. Rahul Gandhi's call for the Chief Election Commissioner to resign as 'approver' is constitutionally provocative language that could either galvanise opposition sentiment or backfire if the evidentiary trail does not hold up to scrutiny. The BJP's counter — that Congress only cries foul when losing — is a deflection, not a rebuttal, and the party's silence on the specific voter-deletion figures is conspicuous. What is missing from this entire exchange is the ECI itself: an institution under attack from the country's principal opposition party has yet to publicly address the core allegation.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ECI row that Priyanka Gandhi is referring to?
The row centres on a media report alleging internal differences within the Election Commission of India over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Congress claims the process resulted in the deletion of 13 crore voters, which it attributes to BJP interference with the poll body.
What did Priyanka Gandhi say about the BJP on 25 September?
Speaking in Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi called the BJP's defence of the ECI controversy a 'lame excuse' and accused the party of rigging elections. She said if the BJP-led Centre directed the Election Commission to delete voters, 'it is an act of treason'.
What did Rahul Gandhi demand from the Election Commission?
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi called on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign and turn 'approver' in what he described as the alleged stealing of votes. He said the actions amounted to 'an attack on the Constitution and the legal structure of the country'.
How has the BJP responded to Congress's allegations?
The BJP has reportedly dismissed Congress's concerns as a pattern of questioning electoral validity only when the party is unable to win polls. It has not, according to available reports, addressed the specific claim that 13 crore voters were deleted from electoral rolls.
Why does this row matter ahead of upcoming elections?
With several state assembly elections approaching, the dispute over the SIR process and the Election Commission's independence could shape opposition campaign narratives. Congress's framing of voter deletions as 'treason' raises the political stakes and puts pressure on the ECI to publicly clarify its process.
