New Delhi, Aug 17 (IANS) The BJP on Sunday launched a sharp counterattack on Congress and RJD over their allegations of electoral roll manipulation, with party leaders dismissing Rahul Gandhi’s charges as “baseless lies” aimed at undermining democratic institutions ahead of the Bihar elections.

BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam, speaking to IANS in Mumbai, said the Election Commission (EC) is an independent body and should not be dragged into partisan politics.

“The Election Commission is an independent body, and all institutions and political parties are equal before it. It works independently without any interference. Making such allegations against it is wrong. The EC has clearly stated that if you make false accusations, provide evidence. If there is no proof, then go to court. Without evidence, such claims are understood to be baseless,” Islam said.

On Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, Zafar Islam took a dig at the Congress leader. “Wherever Rahul Gandhi has gone, Congress has faced a complete wipeout. Now that he has stepped into Bihar, Congress is set to face the same fate here as well,” he remarked.

In Patna, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain lauded the EC’s detailed press conference on Sunday, saying it had given a “strong response” to those “creating unrest.”

“The names that were supposed to be collected have been collected, and if any names are still pending, there is still time to submit the forms,” Hussain told IANS.

The saffron party also intensified its digital offensive, with BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari posting a point-by-point rebuttal on X to counter Congress leader Jairam Ramesh’s claims.

Bhandari accused Rahul Gandhi of “destroying public trust in elections by peddling lies” and challenged him to file an affidavit under oath if he truly believed in his allegations.

The BJP’s aggressive rebuttal indicates it is unwilling to cede ground on the election integrity debate, with leaders accusing the Congress of deliberately sowing doubts ahead of the Bihar polls.

–IANS

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