Archive · 24 Sep 2026
BJP Counters Rahul Gandhi Over ECI, Anti-Incumbency Remarks
Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of India of problems in how elections and voter lists are handled.
He referred to a report saying two election commissioners had raised objections several times.
Gandhi also said elections were being rigged and questioned why the BJP avoids anti-incumbency.
Anti-incumbency means voters often replace a government that has been in power for a while.
BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi rejected Gandhi's claims and mocked his understanding of politics.
Trivedi said Congress had lost power in several states long before the BJP became nationally dominant.
He argued that transparent elections, cameras and independent media made it harder for Congress to return to power.
The two parties therefore presented very different explanations for Congress's electoral difficulties and the state of India's elections.
BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi criticized Rahul Gandhi over allegations concerning the Election Commission of India.
Gandhi cited an Indian Express investigation reporting that Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected to election procedures, database changes and voter-list revision measures 14 times in ten months.
Trivedi argued that Congress has struggled electorally in several states because of long-standing political trends, not only because of the BJP.
Gandhi questioned why the BJP appears to avoid the anti-incumbency patterns that have affected other political parties.
Gandhi alleged that Indian elections were being rigged and linked the alleged voting-system damage to Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- Who
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi.
- What
- A political dispute over Gandhi's allegations against the Election Commission of India and his comments about anti-incumbency.
- When
- Trivedi spoke at a press conference after Gandhi made the remarks earlier the same day; the cited objections occurred over a ten-month period.
- Where
- New Delhi, with the political discussion involving elections and governments across several Indian states.
- Why
- Gandhi alleged problems and possible rigging in India's electoral system, while Trivedi sought to reject those claims and defend the BJP's political position.
Congress's Position
BJP's Position
Election integrity
Congress's Position
Rahul Gandhi alleged that Indian elections were being rigged and said institutional concerns about the voting system had been ignored.
BJP's Position
Sudhanshu Trivedi rejected Gandhi's criticism and argued that transparent elections, CCTV cameras and independent media had made it harder for Congress to win.
Election Commission concerns
Congress's Position
Gandhi cited reported objections by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi and claimed they raised questions about Gyanesh Kumar's role.
BJP's Position
The BJP response focused on attacking Gandhi's political understanding rather than accepting his allegations about the Election Commission.
Anti-incumbency
Congress's Position
Gandhi questioned why the BJP seemed to escape the anti-incumbency trend that has affected other Indian political parties.
BJP's Position
Trivedi said anti-incumbency had long affected Congress and pointed to its extended absence from power in several states before the BJP's national rise.
- BJP spokesperson
- Sudhanshu Trivedi, a BJP national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP
- Gandhi's allegation
- He said Indian elections, including the 2024 Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, were being rigged.
- Cited investigation
- The Indian Express reportedly found that two election commissioners had filed objections at least 14 times over ten months.
- Election commissioners named
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi
- Election official criticized
- Gandhi attributed responsibility for alleged voting-system damage to Gyanesh Kumar.
- States cited by Trivedi
- Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha were cited as places where Congress had been out of power for extended periods.
- West Bengal example
- Trivedi said Congress had not returned to power there since 1977, while a Communist government ruled from 1977 to 2011.