Maharashtra: Fadnavis dismisses claims of voting irregularities in state, says Rahul Gandhi 'should introspect his defeat'

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Friday rejected Leader of Opposition LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhis claims of discrepancies in the Maharashtra Elections 2024 stating that the opposition leader was attempting to cover fire though aware of his partys imminent defeat in Delhi election results ANI reportedEarlier today while addressing a press conference in New Delhi Rahul Gandhi flanked by Supriya Sule and Sanjay Raut had alleged that over 39 lakh voters were added to Maharashtras electoral rolls within a span of five monthsFadnavis dismissed the Congress MPs allegations stating that he was cover firing to create a diversion ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results ANI reportedThe Maharashtra CM said that the Election Commission ECI has addressed all concerns raised claiming that Gandhis statements were a preemptive tactic to shift the narrative before an anticipated defeat on February 8As per ANI he requested the Congress leader to introspect rather than consoling himself with lies stating that without selfreflection Congress partys revival stands impossibleElection Commission has categorically replied to all the questions Rahul Gandhi is doing a cover fire as he knows that after the February 8 Delhi Election results his party will be nowhere in Delhi and hence what he will speak on that day how he will create a new narrative he is practising for the same If Rahul Gandhi does not introspect and will continue to console himself with lies his partys revival isnt possible Rahul Gandhi should introspect his defeat said CM FadnavisTaking a hit at Rahul Gandhi Fadnavis posted on X When the same joke is told over and over again you dont laugh at it RahulGandhi RahulGandhi RahulGandhimdash Devendra Fadnavis Dev_Fadnavis February 7 2025This comes after the Congress leader raised questions over the increase in new voters particularly between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections both held last year in Maharashtra highlighting that 39 lakh new voters were added in just five months after the Lok Sabha polls ANI citedAddressing a press conference at the Constitution Club in Delhi alongside Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance partners Shiv Sena UBTs Sanjay Raut and NCPSPs Supriya Sule he also questioned discrepancies in voter registration figures claiming that the number of registered voters exceeded Maharashtras total adult populationWe want to bring to the notice of the people of India some information that we have found regarding the Maharashtra elections We have studied in detail the voter lists the voting pattern and we have a team working on this for some time There are many irregularities that we have found Gandhi said ANI citedIn five years between Vidhan Sabha 2019 and Lok Sabha 2024 elections 32 lakh voters were added to the electoral rolls in Maharashtra However in a period of five months between Lok Sabha 2024 and Vidhan Sabha 2024 39 lakh new voters were added in Maharashtra The question is why are more voters were added in five months after the Lok Sabha elections than are being added in five years prior Who are these 39 lakh people Gandhi saidHe also raised queries over why there were more registered voters in Maharashtra compared to the entire voting population of the state ANI reportedRahul Gandhi further highlighted that the number of voters who voted for these three parties Congress Shiv Sena UBT and NCPSCP has not reduced within Lok Sabha and Vidhan SabhaHe demanded the voter list of both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls from the Election Commission ANI reportedWe have been saying to the election commission that we are finding anomalies We need the voter list names and addresses of the voters of Maharashtra We need the voter list of the Lok Sabha election We need the voter list of the Vidhan Sabha election Because we want to understand exactly who these new additional voters are he saidMeanwhile the Election Commision in a post on X said ECI considers political partiesas priority stakeholdersof course the voters being the prime amp deeply values views suggestions questions coming from political parties The Commission would respond in writing with a full factual amp procedural matrix uniformly adopted across the countryECI considers political partiesas priority stakeholdersof course the voters being the prime amp deeply values views suggestions questions coming from political parties Commission would respond in writing with full factual ampprocedural matrix uniformly adopted across the countrymdash Election Commission of India ECISVEEP February 7 2025With ANI inputs