Archive · 26 Sep 2026
Kishan Reddy Slams Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Deshdrohi’ Remarks
Rahul Gandhi accused several top leaders and the chief election official of harming India’s voting system.
He called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah “deshdrohis,” meaning traitors.
He also asked Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
Kishan Reddy strongly rejected these accusations and asked Gandhi to apologize.
Reddy said Congress had itself taken voters’ mandates by bringing 10 elected lawmakers into its Telangana government.
He pointed to a Supreme Court decision involving former BRS MLA Danam Nagender.
Reddy also defended the Election Commission and the checking of voter lists.
He said election results in several states did not show that the process was designed to help the BJP.
Rahul Gandhi called Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar “deshdrohis” and accused them of destroying India’s vote.
Gandhi demanded Kumar’s resignation and urged him to become an approver over alleged “vote chori,” or vote theft.
Kishan Reddy rejected the allegations, demanded an apology and said Gandhi had lost electoral contests and his balance by using such language.
Reddy accused Congress of taking the mandate of voters by inducting 10 MLAs elected on other party tickets into the Telangana government.
Reddy defended the Election Commission and electoral-roll revisions, citing results in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal as evidence against a BJP vote-theft conspiracy.
- Who
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union minister G Kishan Reddy; the dispute also involved Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- Gandhi alleged vote theft and called Modi, Shah and Kumar “deshdrohis,” while Reddy rejected the claims and accused Congress of stealing voters’ mandates through defections.
- When
- Gandhi made his remarks on Thursday, September 24; Reddy responded on Friday, September 25.
- Where
- The statements were reported from Hyderabad and concerned electoral issues in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.
- Why
- Gandhi sought accountability from election authorities, while Reddy argued that his allegations undermined constitutional institutions and ignored Congress defections in Telangana.
Rahul Gandhi’s allegations
Kishan Reddy’s response
Electoral integrity
Rahul Gandhi’s allegations
Gandhi said Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar had destroyed India’s vote, called them “deshdrohis” and demanded Kumar’s resignation.
Kishan Reddy’s response
Reddy rejected the accusation, defended the Election Commission and said Gandhi was attempting to damage public confidence in constitutional institutions.
Special voter-roll revision
Rahul Gandhi’s allegations
Gandhi alleged that areas undergoing the Special Intensive Revision benefited from BJP vote theft and questioned the electoral process.
Kishan Reddy’s response
Reddy said results in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal contradicted a BJP conspiracy, noting that non-BJP parties won or performed strongly in areas where the revision occurred.
Political defections
Rahul Gandhi’s allegations
Gandhi’s remarks focused on alleged wrongdoing in elections and the need for accountability from election authorities.
Kishan Reddy’s response
Reddy said Congress had stolen voters’ mandates by inducting 10 MLAs elected on other party tickets into the Telangana government.
- Main critic
- G Kishan Reddy, Union minister for coal and mines
- Main target
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha
- Gandhi’s allegation
- He accused Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar of destroying India’s vote and called them “deshdrohis.”
- Telangana defections
- Reddy alleged that 10 MLAs elected on other party tickets joined Congress after it formed the Telangana government.
- Court reference
- Reddy cited the Supreme Court’s upholding of Danam Nagender’s disqualification after his defection to Congress.
- Electoral-roll revision
- Reddy referred to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.
- Voter turnout claim
- Reddy said more than 92 percent of voters exercised their franchise in recent polls.
