New Delhi, November 6, 2025 – In a bombshell press conference yesterday, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi unveiled what he calls irrefutable evidence of massive electoral manipulation in the October 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, accusing the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP-led Union Government of colluding to subvert democracy.
Gandhi, flanked by Congress leaders, displayed voter rolls purportedly riddled with over 5 lakh fake entries, including more than 1 lakh votes cast via tampered or unidentifiable photos. He claimed a staggering 25 lakh fraudulent votes – one in every eight – tipped the scales for BJP’s surprise victory, defying pre-poll surveys predicting their ouster.
The most audacious revelation: fraudsters allegedly hijacked the identity of Brazilian model Larissa Gomes, using her photo for a fake voter in Haryana. Larissa reacted on social media, confirming the misuse and demanding accountability. This international angle, Gandhi argued, will tarnish India’s global democratic image.
Building on prior exposures in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura and Aland seats, and Maharashtra’s Rajura, Gandhi detailed a “five-step blueprint” of rigging: bulk fake registrations, invalid addresses, and ECI complicity. “This is not just theft of votes; it’s strangling the Constitution,” he thundered.
The ECI swiftly dismissed the claims as “baseless,” demanding a signed affidavit or public apology from Gandhi, echoing rebuttals to his earlier Karnataka and Maharashtra allegations. BJP leaders branded it “desperate political drama” ahead of winter sessions, insisting polls were transparent.
Critics, including opposition allies, hail Gandhi’s “Vote Chori” campaign – complete with votechori.in portal – as a vital push for electoral reform. Yet, with Supreme Court petitions pending and arrests during protests, the row risks deepening polarization.
As Haryana’s BJP government settles in, Gandhi’s salvo poses a stark question: Is India’s ballot box still sacred, or a tool for the powerful? The nation watches, demanding answers.