New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi family and the Congress party on Thursday and accused them of ‘manipulating’ elections for decades through booth capturing, voter intimidation, and misuse of government machinery.

Addressing a Press conference at the BJP headquarters in the national Capital, Shekhawat alleged that this “legacy of fraud and deceit” runs deep in the party’s history.

Citing the first General Elections in 1952, Shekhawat claimed that under then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership, ballot boxes were tampered with, including incidents where nitric acid was poured into them and reports of this were carried by newspapers at the time.

He further alleged that Pandit Nehru pressured the District Collector in Rampur to transfer votes from a rival candidate to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, ensuring his victory.

Shekhawat also accused Congress and Communist leaders of colluding to defeat Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in 1952.

Moving forward, he recalled how late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi allegedly misused government machinery during her elections — charges that eventually led to her 1975 disqualification by the Allahabad High Court.

On former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi, Shekhawat claimed open booth capturing in Amethi, where voters were prevented from casting their ballots, forcing repolling amid alleged attempts to suppress it.

He also brought up the 1987 Bihar “booth loot” incident, which he described as the first organised electoral robbery in the country.

The BJP leader further accused the Congress of manipulating Jammu and Kashmir’s polls for three decades. He pointed to the 1951 elections, where all Opposition candidates’ nominations were rejected, allowing National Conference candidates to win uncontested — allegedly with Congress backing. Similar manipulation, he claimed, occurred in 1962 and 1987.

Shekhawat also reiterated the BJP’s allegation that senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s name was added to the voter list before she became an Indian citizen.

He accused Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi of aligning with “anti-India forces” during national celebrations.

“The Congress has always tried to steal mandates — be it through booth capturing, vote-buying, or intimidation — and today they talk about saving the Constitution. The Gandhi family’s political legacy is rooted in fraud and deceit,” Shekhawat professed.

–IANS

sas/rad