"Congress can't blame electoral system for its failures, they only won when illegal practices were rampant": BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi alleges Congress only won when booth capturing and ballot looting were rampant, blaming their failures on transparency.
BJP Member of Parliament Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party on Sunday, accusing them of blaming the nation's electoral system to mask their own political decline. Trivedi alleged that the Congress party's historical success was built on a foundation of illegal practices, including booth capturing and ballot paper looting.
'Congress Won When Malpractices Were Rampant'
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Trivedi claimed that the Congress party's electoral fortunes began to dwindle only when the voting process became transparent and legally sound. He suggested that the party's current criticism of the Election Commission is born out of frustration over repeated defeats.
"The reality is that the Congress historically won elections only when illegal practices were rampant—when ballot papers were looted, booths were captured, and there were no CCTVs or independent media," Trivedi stated. He further added, "As long as illegal activities—such as booth capturing, ballot box looting, and murders—prevailed, Congress remained in power. It is only since elections became legal and transparent that power has been slipping out of your hands."
Allegations of Historical Violence
To support his claims of past electoral irregularities, Trivedi cited specific instances of violence during previous election cycles in Bihar. He highlighted the following statistics to illustrate a pattern of unrest:
- 1985 Bihar Elections: Reported instances of murders during the process.
- 1990 Bihar Elections: Continued reports of violence.
- 1995 Bihar Elections: Voting had to be halted and relocated four times due to murders.
Trivedi also pointed back to the 1989 elections in Amethi, alleging that even during Rajiv Gandhi's election, bullets were fired in the constituency.
A Mathematical Critique of Congress Decline
The BJP leader took a mathematical swipe at the Congress's ambitions, noting their massive loss of ground across several key states. He listed Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Odisha as regions where the party has seen a significant decline over the decades.
"Add them all up, it comes to 228. As of the first sunrise of the 21st century, you're at almost zero out of 228 seats. You aren't even close to hitting double digits. So why are you dreaming that you'll get 272 out of 300 seats?" Trivedi remarked, questioning the party's ability to form a government in the current political climate.
The Context of the Political Row
Trivedi's comments come amidst a heated political debate regarding the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have raised concerns regarding the independence of the poll panel and potential irregularities in voter roll revisions.
This controversy gained momentum following reports that Election Commissioners had recorded objections on several key files regarding voter deletions and database access. However, the Election Commission has dismissed these claims, stating that such queries are a standard part of the administrative decision-making process and that all final decisions, including the SIR schedule, were reached unanimously.
Concluding his remarks, Trivedi demanded an apology from the Congress, stating that questioning the legitimacy of the electoral process is an insult to the mandate of India's 140 crore citizens.