NEW DELHI: Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday strongly refuted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of widespread vote theft in Haryana, accusing him of using unsubstantiated claims to divert attention from the challenges his party faces in Bihar and to mislead young voters.
Addressing a press briefing, Rijiju said, “Rahul Gandhi held a press conference not to discuss the Bihar polls but to hide his failures by raking up the Haryana issue. This shows Congress has nothing left in Bihar, so they try to distract people with irrelevant matters.” He urged the Opposition leader to focus on serious issues instead of making baseless accusations.
Rijiju mocked Gandhi’s repeated warnings of an impending “hydrogen bomb” of electoral fraud, stating, “Rahul Gandhi says the bomb is going to explode, but it never does.” He also highlighted internal dissent within the Haryana Congress, referencing statements by senior leaders acknowledging their organisational weaknesses and infighting. “When their own leaders admit they are losing due to internal conflicts, and Rahul Gandhi accuses the Election Commission of complicity, who will believe him?” he questioned.
Criticising Gandhi’s frequent foreign trips during crucial election periods, Rijiju accused him of importing narratives from abroad to concoct “baseless stories” to waste public time. “Politicians should talk about real issues, not engage in futile distractions,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had alleged a massive voter fraud operation in Haryana, claiming nearly 25 lakh fake votes, duplicate entries, and manipulated electoral rolls. He accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of misinformation regarding the classification of homeless voters, and alleged irregularities involving bogus voter IDs.
Rijiju dismissed these claims as “misguided and irresponsible,” asserting, “The BJP has always upheld democratic values and fair elections.” He also criticised the Congress for shielding Gandhi and shifting blame to Electronic Voting Machines, adding, “Their so-called ‘hydrogen bomb’ allegations have never detonated.”
As the political heat intensifies ahead of key state assembly elections, Rijiju’s strong defence of the BJP seeks to reassure voters of the government’s commitment to electoral integrity, while underscoring the growing divide in India’s political discourse—especially among the influential youth electorate.
Agencies