Rahul Gandhi is insulting electoral process, says Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam

Mumbai, Aug 8 (IANS) Shiv Sena Spokesperson and party's Deputy leader Sanjay Nirupam, on Friday, accused the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of insulting the electoral process and the voters without presenting any solid evidence -- something the country will not tolerate.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Nirupam said that this has been Congress' worst performance in Maharashtra Assembly elections -- winning only 16 seats and failing to secure even one MLA in 21 districts.

"In such a scenario, instead of making baseless allegations against the Election Commission, Congress should introspect," he added.

He also said that Rahul Gandhi keeps changing figures -- sometimes claiming four million fake voters, sometimes 7.2 million, and at other times 10 million -- but has never provided an accurate number.

"If he (Rahul Gandhi) is accusing voter fraud in Maharashtra but presents data from Karnataka, then he needs to first understand the electoral process. Voter lists are prepared by the state machinery in each state, involving the Chief Electoral Officer, District Magistrates, and booth-level officers. If voter fraud occurred in Karnataka, where Congress is in power, then the responsibility lies with them," he added.

Nirupam said, "Rahul Gandhi must understand that the people of Karnataka gave a mandate to Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister of the country for the third time and gave Congress the chance to form the government there."

The Shiv Sena Spokesperson added that Shiv Sena chief leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has already said that Rahul Gandhi is insulting Maharashtra's voters by talking about fake voting.

"Women in Maharashtra benefitted from the 'Ladli Bahna Yojana', but Congress and its allies had proposed discontinuing it. Women responded through their votes by defeating Congress during the recent state Assembly polls," he said.

Nirupam also took a jibe at Shiv Sena-UBT Chief and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying that Rahul Gandhi invited the former for dinner but made him sit in the last row, exposing his true political status.

Taking a jibe at Uddhav Thackeray, the Shiv Sena Spokesperson asked, "How much more will you bow down for the greed of power?"

He added that during the time of Hindutva icon Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena never went to anyone's doorstep, nor did they sit in the back row of any meeting.

"In fact, top national leaders used to visit Matoshree and hold discussions there," he said.

Nirupam alleged: "Uddhav Thackeray abandoned Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology just to become the Chief Minister. As a result, Congress no longer values him and keeps him waiting at their doorstep."

--IANS

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