"Rahul Gandhi cover firing; should introspect his defeat": Devendra Fadnavis dismisses allegations of voting irregularities in Maharashtra

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 7 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday rejected Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegation of alleged discrepancies in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly election stating that the Opposition leader, aware of his party's imminent defeat in Delhi election results was attempting to "cover fire."
Earlier today addressing a press conference in the national capital Rahul Gandhi flanked by Supriya Sule and Sanjay Raut had alleged that over 39 lakh voters were added to Maharashtra's electoral rolls within a span of five months.
Fadnavis dismissed the allegations of the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition stating that the LoP was "cover firing" to create a diversion ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results.
Fadnavis said the Election Commission has addressed all concerns raised, suggesting that Rahul Gandhi's statements were a preemptive tactic to shift the narrative after an anticipated defeat on February 8.
He urged Rahul Gandhi to introspect rather than consoling himself with "lies," stating that without self-reflection, Congress party's revival remains impossible.
"Election 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 party's revival isn't possible. Rahul Gandhi should introspect his defeat," said CM Fadnavis.
Taking a jab at Rahul Gandhi, Devendra Fadnavis posted on X, "When the same joke is told over and over again, you don't laugh at it! #RahulGandhi."
This comes after Rahul Gandhi raised concerns over the surge in new voters, particularly between the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in Maharashtra, highlighting that 39 lakh new voters were added in just five months after the Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a press conference at the Constitution Club in Delhi alongside Maha Vikas Aghadi partners Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Supriya Sule of the NCP-SCP, Rahul Gandhi also questioned discrepancies in voter registration figures, claiming that the number of registered voters exceeded Maharashtra's total adult population.
"We 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.
"In 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 said.
He also questioned that why there were more registered voters in Maharashtra than the entire voting population of the state.
Rahul Gandhi also highlighted that the number of voters who voted for these three parties (Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP-SCP) has not reduced within Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi demanded the voter list of both Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls from the Election Commission.
"We 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 said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commision in a post on X said, "ECI considers political parties,as priority stakeholders,of course the voters being the prime & deeply values views, suggestions, questions coming from political parties. Commission would respond in writing with full factual &procedural matrix uniformly adopted across the country." (ANI)