With irrefutable facts and unflinching clarity, Shri Rahul Gandhi has exposed a chilling truth: the mandate of the people in Maharashtra was hijacked — not by the will of the voters, but through manipulation, deceit, and a systematic assault on democratic institutions.
When I assumed charge of Maharashtra in early 2024, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi defied the Modi wave in the Lok Sabha elections. The people of Maharashtra stood tall against propaganda and pressure, delivering a decisive verdict that sent the BJP alliance reeling. The BJP’s loss in Maharashtra, along with its poor performance in Uttar Pradesh, was pivotal in preventing it from securing an absolute majority at the national level.
And yet, merely six months later, in the Assembly elections, that same Maha Vikas Aghadi — which was poised to win over 170 seats — was reduced to just 50. Is it believable that this staggering turnaround was due to governance or public sentiment? Even the most loyal BJP supporter would hesitate to make such a claim. If Prime Minister Modi himself could not sway Maharashtra, are we to believe that Eknath Shinde — whose politics is marred by betrayal and unprincipled opportunism — could command such a wave?
This was not a coincidence. It was a calculated and premeditated operation to distort the electoral mandate. Democracy in Maharashtra was not defeated — it was subverted.
Let us look at the facts:
• In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra had 89.8 million registered voters. By the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, this number rose naturally to 92.9 million — a five-year increase of 3.1 million.
• However, within just five months, during the 2024 Assembly elections, the voter count inexplicably jumped to 97 million — a sudden spike of 4.1 million in less than half a year.
• This figure defies logic. Even the official estimate of adult population in Maharashtra stands at 95.4 million.
• On polling day, the initial turnout reported was 58.22%. With no reports of long queues or late-night voting, it should have remained roughly constant. Instead, by the next morning, the turnout had miraculously jumped to 66.05% — an overnight addition of over 7.6 million votes, predominantly favouring BJP candidates.
What do we call this if not a massive electoral fraud? There is no more ruthless way to assassinate democracy.
Rahul Gandhi’s powerful exposé is not merely an article — it is a wake-up call. It exposes how Maharashtra, once a proud torchbearer of democratic values, has become a cautionary tale of how institutions can be compromised, how power can be snatched instead of earned, and how silence can become complicity.
This is no longer about one state or one election. It is about the soul of our democracy.
We urge the Election Commission to break its silence. The people of Maharashtra — and of India — deserve answers.
We call upon every citizen to stay vigilant, stay informed, and stay united. For if we allow such subversion to go unchecked, we may soon lose not just elections — but the very freedoms that define us.
