Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday delivered a forceful rebuttal to Congress allegations of “vote chori,” asserting that the Opposition party is losing elections because of its own leadership weaknesses, not because of voter list revisions or electoral malpractices.
Speaking during a debate on electoral reforms in the Lok Sabha, Shah addressed the issue in the presence of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier challenged him to respond to allegations raised in Congress’ recent press conferences on voter theft.
“Congress Mastered Vote Chori”: Shah’s Historical Swipe
Amit Shah argued that Congress itself had a long history of manipulating political outcomes — a charge intended to flip the narrative back at the Opposition.
The 1946 Congress Presidential Vote
Shah cited the famous episode where 28 of the 30 provincial Congress committees reportedly favoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, while Jawaharlal Nehru secured only two endorsements.
“But who became the Prime Minister of independent India?” Shah asked, adding that this was an early example of Congress practicing what it now accuses others of doing.
Indira Gandhi’s Election Annulment Also Cited
Taking his argument forward, Shah referred to the 1975 Allahabad High Court judgment that annulled the Rae Bareli election of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
He said the incident represented “vote theft on a mass scale,” pointing out that Gandhi amended the Constitution soon after and superseded senior judges to secure legal relief.
Row Over Sonia Gandhi’s Voter Registration
Shah also mentioned an ongoing dispute before a Delhi court concerning the voter registration of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, alleging that she became a voter before being an Indian citizen.
Congress MP KC Venugopal immediately objected, accusing the Home Minister of misleading the House. Shah responded that he was only referring to what was already before the court and would provide further details once Sonia Gandhi officially responds to the notice.
“Congress Blames Institutions Instead of Self-Reflection”
In one of his sharpest criticisms, the Home Minister accused Congress of habitually questioning institutions — the Election Commission, EVMs, and even the judiciary — whenever it faces electoral setbacks.
Shah said BJP, despite spending “a better part of its life in Opposition,” never blamed institutions for its defeats.
“We introspect when we lose. Congress has created a culture where losing means blaming institutions. This habit has spread even to the INDI bloc partners,” he said, naming figures such as Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin, Rahul Gandhi, and Bhagwant Mann.
Opposition Under Fire for Impeachment Moves
Shah also criticised opposition MPs for pushing an impeachment motion against a Madras High Court judge who had upheld a local tradition of lamp lighting on a hilltop.
According to Shah, such moves were aimed at appeasing “vote banks,” and he expressed surprise that even Uddhav Thackeray had signed the notice.
Leadership Crisis, Not Voter Rolls, Behind Congress Losses: Shah
Concluding his remarks, the Home Minister said Congress workers themselves may soon begin questioning the party’s leadership over repeated election defeats.
“The reason Congress is losing elections is not vote chori or special revision of voter rolls. It is losing because of its leadership issues,” Shah asserted.
Amit Shah’s remarks mark one of the most direct counterattacks by the government in the ongoing political storm over alleged voter theft. With the debate over electoral reforms intensifying, both the BJP and Congress appear prepared for a prolonged confrontation — one that could shape the political discourse ahead of upcoming state and national elections.