India’s Modi Benefits from ‘Controlled’ Election, Opposition Leader Gandhi Claims

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi expressed concerns on Tuesday regarding the upcoming two-month general elections, stating that he does not consider them a free exercise. He believes the elections have been structured to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi, although he did not provide specific evidence for his claims.

In an unexpected twist, Modi’s government faced a setback as the opposition performed strongly, resulting in his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) losing its outright majority. For the first time in a decade, the BJP had to rely on coalition partners to maintain power.

Gandhi criticized the BJP’s significant financial advantages and accused them of obstructing his party’s financial resources. Speaking at an event at Georgetown University in Washington, he claimed, “The Election Commission was doing what they wanted. The entire campaign was structured so that Mr. Modi could do his thing across the country.” He reiterated, “I don’t view it as a free election. I view it as a controlled election.”

Gandhi expressed skepticism that the BJP would have secured 240 seats in a fair election. Despite the BJP winning 240 seats, which is 32 short of the majority needed in the 543-member parliament, they managed to form a government with their 15-party coalition, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which garnered a total of 293 seats. Meanwhile, the opposition alliance, known as INDIA and led by Gandhi’s Congress party, secured 230 seats, with Congress winning 99 on its own.

The Election Commission did not respond to Gandhi’s statements. In reaction, Agricultural Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused Gandhi of attempting to tarnish India’s image, labeling his actions as treasonous. Chouhan claimed, “Due to being defeated consecutively for the third time, anti-BJP … anti-Modi sentiments have taken root in his mind,” and added that Gandhi’s comments were an attempt to malign the country’s reputation.

In the lead-up to the elections, Gandhi’s Congress party received income tax notices for payments amounting to approximately 35 billion rupees ($417 million), which they characterized as a politically motivated attack. The party was eventually granted time to address these payments after the voting process.

Concerns regarding the integrity of the elections are not new. Congress and some allies of the opposition have previously alleged tampering with voting machines in elections since Modi came to power in 2014. However, the Election Commission has publicly defended its systems, asserting their security against interference, and India’s Supreme Court has dismissed calls to revert to the previous voting system.