New Delhi, Jan 16 (NationPress) The BJP criticized Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, after he accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of 'gaslighting' voters amidst a controversy regarding the quality of ‘indelible’ ink used during the Maharashtra civic body elections.

In response to Gandhi's allegations, BJP leaders expressed that his comments indicate the Congress party is on the brink of a significant defeat. They further claimed that Rahul Gandhi has a tendency to blame institutions or individuals whenever the election outcomes do not favor him.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari stated that Gandhi's social media post accusing the system of 'vote theft' highlights his reluctance to accept electoral results.

“Rahul Gandhi claimed on the social media platform X that vote theft is an anti-national act. Ironically, he himself is anti-national, always finding someone to blame for his losses,” Bhandari asserted.

He noted that current trends in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections suggest a major setback for the Congress.

“The emerging trends and Gandhi's post point to a heavy defeat for his party. Previously, he has blamed the SIR, the EVMs, and even the Election Commission. The public consistently sees the Congress as an anti-national party,” Bhandari remarked.

He added that these allegations, when taken to court, are often proven false. “Today, the Congress party has been exposed as a major liar and a highly corrupt entity, both in public and legal spheres,” he concluded.

Another BJP spokesperson, Ajay Alok, also criticized Gandhi, accusing him of fabricating unfounded narratives.

“Rahul Gandhi is not just stubborn; he has become the epitome of stubbornness. His statements are nonsensical. They fabricate excuses — sometimes the ink is weak, sometimes votes are stolen, sometimes the EVMs malfunction, and sometimes the voter lists are inaccurate,” Alok stated.

He emphasized that the Congress party fails to acknowledge its own shortcomings.

“They do not realize that the issue lies within themselves. They have already failed, and the public has repeatedly and decisively rejected them,” he said.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi shared an article from a local Mumbai newspaper that addressed voter concerns about the quality of indelible ink. In a post on X, he claimed that vote theft is an anti-national act and accused the Election Commission of undermining public trust.

“The Election Commission's gaslighting of citizens is how trust has eroded in our democracy. Vote theft is an anti-national act,” he wrote.

This is not the first occasion where Rahul Gandhi has levied accusations against authorities regarding vote theft. Previously, he has made similar claims in states such as Bihar and Haryana following electoral defeats.

A significant controversy arose on Thursday due to reports that indelible ink used on voters was easily being erased, potentially jeopardizing the elections.

Opposition leaders, including local Congress officials, alleged that at various polling booths, markers instead of ink were utilized to mark voters, and these markings could be wiped off with sanitizers.

As this matter escalated, the State Election Commission, initially reluctant, mandated an investigation and informed the media that a comprehensive inquiry would be conducted to verify the claims circulating online and to determine their authenticity.

They also stated that there was no deviation from standard practices, asserting that the same ink was employed in the BMC elections.

Meanwhile, initial trends from the Maharashtra civic body elections suggest a positive outcome for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. As of 2:50 PM, the BJP was leading in 1,122 wards, while its ally, the Shiv Sena, was ahead in 283 wards across 29 civic bodies.

The focus remains on Mumbai, where the reunited Thackeray brothers are contesting together to regain their political influence against the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. According to early leads, the BJP-led alliance is ahead in 118 wards in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, while the Thackeray brothers are leading in 78 wards.