Cracks In Opposition? After Omar Abdullah, Supriya Sule Keeps Distance From Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Chori' Claims

New Delhi: In a fresh jolt to Opposition unity, days after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi led his party’s ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhod’ rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, two of the Congress' key allies in the INDIA bloc have chosen to differ and voiced their differences from the Leader of Opposition's claims of ‘vote theft’ and EVM manipulations.

Not Against The 'Machine'

Speaking in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday during the Winter Session of the Parliament, Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) MP Supriya Sule sidestepped from the Congress' allegations of election rigging saying that she has got elected to the House four times using the same "machine".

"I will not speak anything on VVPAT, EVM or any such machine. This is because I believe that if there is any fault in the machine, then you should start with me. I have also got elected four times through that machine. I am not speaking against the machine," the four-time MP from Baramati said.

Sule's statement adds to the Opposition's hesitation on making allegations of ‘voter theft’ as the main electoral issue of the opposition alliance and whether questioning the electoral process of the county would actually translate into votes for them. The NCP-SP leader's stern difference from the Congress' line comes a day after Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Omar Abdullah had spoken about the individuality of political parties in the opposition alliance.

‘Will Choose Our Issues’

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that while the Congress seems to have made the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and alleged ‘vote theft’ to be its main political issue, the INDIA bloc does not have anything to do with these claims. The Chief Minister added that every party in the opposition alliance is free to set their own political agenda.

"The INDIA alliance has nothing to do with it. Every political party has the freedom to set its political agenda. Congress has made SIR, vote chori as its main political issue...We will choose our issues...," Abdullah said speaking to reporters on Monday. 

Why The Opposition Differs

The difference in the oppositon alliance also comes amid back-to-back electoral defeats by the Congress in the last few rounds of assembly elections held after the 2024 General Elections. Their recent electoral setback in the Bihar elections has further raised questions about the Congress' poll strategy amid the Opposition, whether it would be wise to stick to stick to allegations of ‘vote theft’ and make it the main plank of their political campaign, especially before several states, key among them being West Bengal, plunge into elections next year. 

On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Election Commission and even mentioned the names of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi claiming that they were working for the ruling BJP. The Congress MP had earlier highlighted his concerns about voter manipulations in several press conferences and had also campaigned in Bihar against the SIR ahead of the polls.

What The BJP Is Saying

Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that Rahul Gandhi is only voicing this issue to find excuses for his recent electoral defeats. He also pointed out at the hypocrisy of the Congress saying that the party did not claim about vote manipulations following their wins in states like Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.

"Rahul Gandhi is just finding excuses to blame for his defeat. They don't talk about vote chori when they win in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. They are not accepting their defeat and only talking about vote chori. Congress has done vote dacoity in the past," Singh said on Monday.

BJP leader CT Ravi also highlighted that the Congress party has a history of ‘vote theft’. He also cited that the grand old party had manipulated elections way back in 1952 by invalidating 74,000 votes when Dr BR Ambedkar had contested in elections.

"Who has a history of doing vote 'chori'? It is the Congress party. In 1952, Dr BR Ambedkar had contested in elections. At the time, who did vote chori by invalidating 74,000 votes?...But now, Congress is talking about vote theft. This is 'ulta chor kotwal ko dante'. How did they win in Karnataka?" Ravi said.

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