Government sources on Friday rejected Rahul Gandhi's claim that President Droupadi Murmu had accepted the Opposition's allegations of electoral fraud, calling the assertion incorrect and stating that it was unfortunate to drag the President into the controversy.
The clarification arrived hours after a ten-member delegation from the INDIA bloc met President Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit a memorandum calling for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged discrepancies in voter lists.
Following the meeting, Rahul Gandhi stated he was surprised that the President had not dismissed the Opposition's accusations of vote theft and instead requested evidence, interpreting her response as acceptance of their statements. Government sources firmly pushed back against this characterization.
Addressing reporters after the discussions, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar were orchestrating a conspiracy against Indian democracy, expressing shock that the President did not counter their claims.
Gandhi noted that while he felt the evidence of electoral theft was already public knowledge across multiple states, the coalition would gladly compile and submit the documentation requested by the President.
The meeting between the opposition delegation and President Murmu spanned nearly an hour. Opposition leaders reported that the President promised to review the issue once the formal evidence was provided.
Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee described the President's reaction constructively, noting that Murmu agreed to evaluate the details and study the complaints. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge added that the President listened attentively and promised to consult relevant stakeholders before determining the next steps.
The Opposition announced it is currently compiling the requested documentation and plans to present it to the President, alongside potential legal steps involving the Supreme Court.
This high-level meeting occurred amid an escalating campaign by opposition parties against the Election Commission concerning the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with the alliance accusing election officials of unlawfully deleting eligible voters and demanding structural accountability.