‘After every defeat, Congress kept finding new excuses’: BJP on Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote theft’ claim

BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Wednesday (August 13, 2025) took a swipe at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s claim of “vote theft”, saying that after “every defeat, Congress kept finding new excuses.”

He said that, seeing that it is losing the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress is already engaged in making false allegations in connivance with other Opposition parties.

“If there is a record of losing elections 90 times under someone’s leadership, then it is under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Even within the party, questions are raised about Rahul Gandhi’s leadership,” Mr. Thakur said in a press conference at the BJP headquarters.

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“When he (Rahul Gandhi) loses elections, he raises questions about EVMs or blames the voters. Congress said EVMs are rigged for the BJP. Then they said ban EVMs, bring back ballot papers. Then they said EVMs can be hacked remotely. After every defeat, Congress kept finding new excuses. Congress did not introspect but kept blaming EVMs, the Election Commission and constitutional institutions again and again. Seeing that it is losing the Bihar elections, Congress is already engaged in making false allegations in connivance with opposition parties,” he said.

He termed Rahul Gandhi’s vote theft claim a “blunder”.

“Yesterday, some Congress people were saying that Rahul Gandhi and the opposition leaders created a storm... It’s not a storm, it’s a blunder... I will say the same thing to Rahul ji — there was dust on your face, and today you should keep cleaning the mirror,” he said.

Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged citizens to protect their voting rights and raise their voices against alleged electoral malpractices.

Sharing a fictional video on X, he said, “Do not let your right to vote be snatched away. Ask questions, demand answers, this time!

“Raise your voice against #VoteChori, Free constitutional institutions from the clutches of BJP!”