Rahul Gandhi alleges Election Commission 'compromised' in US; BJP responds sharply
Boston / New Delhi: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, while addressing an event in Boston, USA, alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is "compromised" and raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
Citing figures from the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Gandhi claimed that more people had reportedly voted than the total number of adult citizens in the state. He further questioned the voting data, stating, “The Election Commission gave us a voting figure for 5:30 PM and between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, 65 lakh voters voted. This is physically impossible. For a person to vote, it takes approximately 3 minutes. If you do the math, this would mean lines of voters extending till 2 AM—but such queues were never seen.”
He added that when the Congress party requested videography records to verify the voting data, the ECI not only denied the request but subsequently changed the law to restrict access to such footage.
The BJP responded strongly to Gandhi’s remarks. Party spokesperson CR Kesavan accused him of launching another "Bharat Badnam Yatra" and tarnishing India’s institutions abroad. “Rahul Gandhi, who is once again undermining India’s democracy on foreign soil, is peddling lies and falsehoods. He attacks our Election Commission in America at a time when global leaders, including former US President Donald Trump, have praised India’s electoral system,” Kesavan said.
Kesavan further criticized Gandhi for attempting to damage the credibility of Indian institutions while overseas, suggesting that the Congress leader lacks an understanding of the robustness of the country’s democratic framework.
VIDEO | Here's what BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan (@crkesavan) said on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks in Boston on Election Commission of India.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 21, 2025
"Rahul Gandhi who is on another 'Bharat Badnam Yatra', 'India Abuse Yatra' on foreign soil has once again, deplorably attacked… pic.twitter.com/d65oBjICKN
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Thunderstorm hits Lucknow, IMD issues red alert across multiple UP districts
Lucknow: Shortly after the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert warning of severe weather conditions in the region, a sudden thunderstorm hit Lucknow and adjoining districts on Monday morning.
The Indian Express reported that the skies turned dark around 8:45 am as strong winds lashed parts of the city. Incidents of tree falls were reported from several locations, disrupting traffic and normal movement.
The weather department said thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail and gusty winds of 40 to 60 kmph are likely to continue over the next three hours across several districts.
A red alert has been issued for districts including Unnao, Barabanki, Hardoi, Sitapur, Bahraich, Gonda, Shravasti and Lakhimpur Kheri, where moderate thunderstorms with hail and strong winds may damage trees, power lines and temporary structures.
An orange alert is in place for Rae Bareli, Amethi, Kanpur Nagar, Ayodhya, Kanpur Dehat, Auraiya, Kannauj, Farrukhabad, Shahjahanpur and Balrampur, where thunderstorms with lightning and winds up to 60 kmph could lead to localised disruptions.
Major parts of the state remains under yellow alert, including districts such as Prayagraj, Agra, Bareilly, Aligarh and Moradabad, where light rain, lightning and winds of 30 to 40 kmph are expected.
Authorities have advised residents to remain indoors, avoid open areas and trees during lightning, and secure loose objects.
