Bengaluru, Aug 8 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, touched down at HAL Airport in Bengaluru on Friday, gearing up to participate in a protest at Freedom Park concerning the alleged election fraud.

He was greeted at the airport by the Karnataka State Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, alongside AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala. The party's national President Mallikarjun Kharge joined him as well.

In anticipation of the protest, stringent security measures have been implemented around the Chief Electoral Officer's office in Bengaluru.

This office is situated roughly 80 feet from Freedom Park, the designated protest area.

The police department, mindful of the significant gathering and the protest's importance, has deployed extra personnel in and around the State Election Commission office to uphold law and order, ensuring public safety.

The Chief Electoral Officer has arranged an appointment for the protestors between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sources indicate that the Congress delegation, which may or may not include Rahul Gandhi, is anticipated to meet the officer between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

State Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna commented, "Rahul Gandhi has made claims supported by documentation. He speaks with authority, and we must back his statements — there is no doubt about it. The BJP is fully aware of the irregularities. The RSS, the BJP's frontal organization, is orchestrating everything."

“The general public stands with us. In the Mahadevapura Assembly constituency, voters have been registered without valid addresses. How is that even feasible? Our government was in power during the parliamentary elections — we should have been more vigilant. We are only alert now. Had we acted sooner, we could have stopped these irregularities," Minister Rajanna stated.

"In the eight Assembly segments within the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha seat, we led in seven. Only in Mahadevapura did we falter. That single loss skewed the overall outcome. Isn’t that evidently linked to malpractice?" he questioned.

In response to these accusations, BJP state President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra asserted, "In the Mahadevapura Assembly segment, the BJP had the largest lead in the last Lok Sabha elections. This area has consistently been a BJP stronghold, with 6.5 lakh voters, the highest in Karnataka. Rahul Gandhi is questioning the voters' list; however, he should also scrutinize what occurred in Chamarajpet — represented by Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan, and Shivajinagar — represented by Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, where the minority population is substantial."

"We know that numerous fake voters have been added in these areas. My question to Rahul Gandhi is: the aim of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is to detect such inconsistencies. Why, then, are Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party opposing it in Bihar? Why come to Karnataka and create this spectacle?" Vijayendra questioned.

"The BJP secured 25 out of 28 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. In 2024, the NDA managed only 19 seats. Rahul Gandhi could have raised these allegations earlier. The reality is he has failed to earn the public's trust and is eager to become Prime Minister. He has been rejected by the voters of Karnataka and all over India. In this context, he is now targeting the Election Commission," Vijayendra stated.

"They are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They must be jesting. Rather than making unfounded demands, they should concentrate on regaining the people's trust. They can’t fault Modi ji’s leadership — he is guiding the nation towards development, which is why he has been elected for a third consecutive term. There is no cause for the BJP to protest against the Congress regarding this matter. Let’s see what Rahul Gandhi has to say in Bengaluru — based on that, we will determine our next steps," he concluded.