Kharge Accuses BJP Of Voter List Manipulation, Criticises Modi’s US Visit
New Delhi, February 19: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of large-scale voter list manipulations ahead of elections in multiple states. Addressing a meeting of All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretaries and state in-charges, Kharge asserted that such electoral malpractice must be stopped at all costs. He also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he failed to protect India’s trade and business interests during his recent visit to the United States.
Kharge warned Congress state in-charges that they would be held accountable for their respective states’ organisational performance and electoral results. He stressed the need for greater vigilance, claiming that names of Congress supporters were being deleted from voter lists, shifted to different polling booths, or replaced with new names before elections. Rahul Gandhi had raised similar concerns in the Lok Sabha, highlighting what Congress views as an orchestrated effort by the BJP to rig elections.
The Congress president also criticised the Modi government’s move to exclude the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee for the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), calling it a deliberate attempt to manipulate the electoral process. He pointed out that the Supreme Court had mandated the Chief Justice’s inclusion in the selection process, but the government had removed this provision. Kharge claimed that the Leader of the Opposition was now being used merely to legitimise a predetermined decision.
On Modi’s visit to the United States, Kharge accused the prime minister of failing to defend India’s economic interests. He argued that the Modi government did not object to US-imposed tariffs on Indian goods and had accepted an unfavourable trade deal that would harm India’s economy. “America is imposing a loss-making deal on us, and our government is silently accepting it. This is an insult to India and its people,” he said.
Kharge further alleged that Indian citizens were still being deported from the US in handcuffs, despite Modi’s diplomatic engagements. He claimed that even basic courtesies were ignored, pointing out reports of vegetarian passengers being served non-vegetarian food. “Our government failed to protest these insults properly,” he remarked.
The Congress president reaffirmed the party’s commitment to its ‘Save Constitution Campaign’, which will run for a year. He urged party members to conduct ‘padyatras’, debates, and public meetings to strengthen the organisation. Highlighting the Congress’ recent performance in Delhi, he praised party workers for their efforts and called for sustained mass movements to re-establish the Congress as the main opposition force.
