Siddaramaiah backs Rahul Gandhi’s claims of nationwide 'voter fraud', demands PM Modi’s resignation
Bengaluru, Aug 7 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had exposed, with evidence, widespread voter fraud during the recent Lok Sabha elections and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation.
In a post on 'X', Siddaramaiah said the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has exposed with hard evidence how widespread vote theft took place across India in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Despite massive public anger, Modi returned to power only through electoral fraud. The documents released by Rahul Gandhi today stand as clear proof, he added.
“Narendra Modi became Prime Minister by misusing the Election Commission, stealing votes, and abusing power. He has no moral right to stay in office. He must resign and dissolve the government immediately,” Siddaramaiah demanded.
He vowed that the Congress would raise its voice across the country and expose the BJP’s crimes to every citizen.
Giving an example from Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said a six-month investigation was conducted into voter records in Mahadevapura Assembly segment, which falls under the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency.
“Under the guidance of Shri Rahul Gandhi, a detailed six-month investigation was conducted into the voter records of Mahadevapura Assembly segment, which falls under the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency. The probe uncovered precise evidence of systematic vote theft,” he said.
“In the 2024 Lok Sabha Election, the BJP misused the Election Commission and illegally secured 1,00,250 votes in Mahadevapura — a constituency with just around 3.25 lakh voters — to win the seat,” Siddaramaiah said. He said five methods of electoral malpractice were identified in just this one segment.
“A total of 11,965 fake voters are estimated to have cast votes in this constituency. Some individuals voted in multiple polling booths, while others voted not only here but also in other parts of the state and even outside Karnataka. This points to a systematic and deliberate misuse of the electoral process,” Siddaramaiah charged.
He added that 40,009 voters were found with fake addresses.
The Chief Minister said, “Thousands of them are registered under non-existent addresses, including many with ‘House Number 0’, random gibberish entered in place of father’s or husband’s names, and addresses that simply do not exist.”
According to him, 10,452 voters were registered under a handful of addresses.
“In one instance, 80 voter ID cards were issued using the address of a single-bedroom house. In another case, 68 voter IDs listed the address of a private club. Upon verification, it was confirmed that none of the listed voters actually reside there.”
Siddaramaiah said 4,132 voter ID cards in the constituency had missing or unclear photographs, yet those individuals were allowed to vote.
He also pointed out that “33,692 voters aged between 60 and 90 years were found to have been registered as first-time voters through Form 6. The BJP often claims that new voters support Narendra Modi, but the reality is startling — even individuals aged 89 and 98 have allegedly voted for the first time.”
Siddaramaiah said that had the Election Commission acted impartially and provided the electronic data and CCTV footage that Rahul Gandhi requested, this scam could have been exposed within days of the election.
“Instead, the Commission deliberately altered its own rules to suppress information and cover up the truth. This is not a scam limited to Mahadevapura alone — it is now clear that the BJP has used similar vote theft tactics across the country to cling to power,” he said.
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K'taka remains central to Aequs' strategy, says min Patil amid row over firm's investment in TN
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Commerce and Industries Minister M B Patil on Monday asserted that Aequs continues to expand in the state and that its proposed investment in neighbouring Tamil Nadu was a business decision aimed at diversification, not a shift away from Karnataka.
Reacting to criticism on social media over reports that the Karnataka-based firm had signed a major investment deal in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district for setting up a specialised aerospace and defense manufacturing cluster, he said the state government was fully aware of the company's plans and remained confident about its long-term commitment to Karnataka.
"While we welcome every major investment in India, would like to clarify a few points," Patil said in a post on 'X'.
Aequs was significantly expanding its footprint within Karnataka, including a Rs 3,000 crore investment in Kolar for electronics manufacturing.
"Its recently approved Rs 1,500 crore ECMS project will also be grounded in the state. Karnataka remains central to its long-term strategy," he said.
Patil added that the government had prior knowledge of the TN proposal.
The government was already informed and aware that the TN investment is a business decision aimed at geographic diversification and de-risking operations, not a shift away from Karnataka.
"Healthy competition between states strengthens India's manufacturing ecosystem," he said.
Emphasising the state's focus on high-technology sectors, Patil said, "We remain committed to deepening Karnataka's leadership in aerospace and advanced manufacturing, and our engagement with industry partners is strong and ongoing."
The Aequs Group has pledged Rs 4,000 crore to bolster Tamil Nadu's aerospace manufacturing capabilities at the SIPCOT-Shoolagiri Industrial Park in Krishnagiri district.
The group proposes to establish a specialised aerospace and defense manufacturing cluster for the production of aircraft engines, gearbox components, and precision engineering parts. This initiative is expected to provide employment to 7,000 individuals.
