By Shah’s comments come amid an ongoing political dispute over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which has drawn criticism from Congress and other opposition parties. He alleged that the Congress was attempting to undermine confidence in the electoral process by repeatedly raising concerns about electronic voting machines (EVMs), voter lists and alleged vote theft rather than examining the reasons behind its electoral defeats.
Shah Credits Modi’s Leadership for NDA’s Wins
Soon after the by-election results emerged, Shah took to X to praise the BJP’s performance under Modi’s leadership. He said the party had continued to win elections despite what he described as misinformation campaigns by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc.
Shah also pointed to the NDA’s victories in the by-elections in West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry, along with recent local body poll results in Rajasthan and Tripura. He argued that these outcomes reflected voter confidence in the BJP and a rejection of the opposition alliance.
The Home Minister said opposition parties frequently questioned institutions following electoral defeats. According to him, the results showed that voters continued to support the BJP despite the criticism directed at the party and the government.
SIR Dispute Fuels Fresh Congress-BJP Clash
The revision of electoral rolls has become a major point of contention between the BJP and the opposition. Congress and other opposition leaders have raised concerns about the electoral process, including the handling of voter lists and allegations of vote theft. The Election Commission’s role in the revision exercise has also come under political scrutiny.
Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of using different issues to challenge election results, including EVMs, alleged vote theft and the SIR process. He argued that the Congress should focus on understanding why it has struggled to return to power in several states over extended periods.
The Home Minister cited Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha, Nagaland and Maharashtra to make his point. He referred to the Congress’s long absence from the chief minister’s office in several of these states and questioned whether its electoral setbacks could all be explained by allegations of vote theft.
Shah further argued that some parties now aligned with the INDIA bloc had themselves governed states where Congress had remained out of power. He used this comparison to challenge the opposition’s explanation for its repeated defeats.
Shah Calls on Congress to Examine Its Leadership
Shah also urged the Congress to conduct an internal review of its electoral performance. He argued that the party’s leadership under Rahul Gandhi had been a factor in its inability to secure victories across the country.
In his remarks, Shah said the Congress had repeatedly received unfavourable electoral mandates since Gandhi assumed a leading role in the party. He also claimed that the INDIA bloc was once again showing signs of internal strain under Gandhi’s leadership.
The Congress and other opposition parties have maintained their concerns about electoral processes, while the BJP has rejected allegations of manipulation. Shah’s latest comments underline how the by-election results and the dispute over voter rolls have become part of the wider political contest between the ruling alliance and the opposition.
The remarks were a political assessment by Shah of the election outcomes and the opposition’s strategy. The results themselves, and the competing claims about electoral integrity, remain distinct issues in the ongoing debate between the two sides.
