New Delhi/Bengaluru, Sep 18 (IANS) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi wondered why LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who keeps hurling accusations under the name of ‘vote theft’, does not utter a word about Karnataka’s Malur Assembly constituency.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi on Thursday, Pralhad Joshi, calling the Congress MP’s ‘vote theft’ claim nothing more than a new fictional tale, pointed out that the Karnataka High Court had disqualified the Congress MLA from Malur and ordered a recount of votes.

“When this is the reality, who is the real vote thief now?” he countered.

In the Malur Assembly elections, the Congress candidate won by a very narrow margin.

There were irregularities in the voting and counting process. The defeated candidate approached the High Court with supporting evidence. The court has now disqualified the Congress MLA and ordered a recount.

“What do the so-called champions of ‘vote theft’ have to say now?” asked Joshi.

“Why is Rahul Gandhi not speaking about Malur? Rahul Gandhi, who loudly accuses others of ‘vote theft’, is now silent about Malur Assembly constituency, where Congress itself won. Just two days ago, the High Court disqualified the MLA and ordered fresh counting due to electoral malpractice. Will Rahul Gandhi at least learn some sense now?” Joshi remarked sharply.

After losing more than 20 elections conducted through EVMs, Congress keeps blaming the voting machines and the Election Commission.

But the fault lies neither with the EVMs nor with the Commission. The real fault is with Congress itself. Congress is the real ‘vote thief’, Joshi alleged directly.

The Election Commission of India has clearly rejected Rahul Gandhi’s baseless allegations, reiterating that “no votes can be deleted online”.

“Does Rahul Gandhi not understand the election process? Does he not know that voters cannot be erased online?” Pralhad Joshi questioned.

Even in the Aland Assembly constituency in Karnataka, which Rahul Gandhi mentioned in his ‘vote theft’ allegations, the Congress candidate was the one who won. Making such claims in a Congress-ruled Karnataka only invites ridicule, Joshi said.

After the failed attempts by Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders to spread the ‘vote theft’ narrative, it is now proven to be false. Congress is fighting only for fake entitlements, Joshi added, advising Rahul Gandhi to at least learn from his past mistakes.

–IANS

mka/pgh