New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, with party MP Sambit Patra criticising him over a recent meeting with President Droupadi Murmu to raise allegations of electoral irregularities and seek the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Patra accused the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha of attempting to involve the President in political controversies and described his overall approach as anarchic. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Patra asserted that Gandhi's public statements following his meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan reflected poor political conduct and involved unfounded accusations against the Prime Minister and key constitutional institutions.
The BJP parliamentarian acknowledged Gandhi's high-ranking position as Leader of the Opposition but argued that his choice of vocabulary and criticism of institutional authorities justified a strong rebuke. He accused the Congress leader of uttering falsehoods and undermining the credibility of the nation's foundational offices.
The ruling party's reaction followed a visit by a ten-member delegation of INDIA bloc leaders, headed by Gandhi, who submitted a formal memorandum to President Murmu requesting her intervention regarding disputes connected to the Election Commission. The opposition group highlighted concerns regarding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and demanded the dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that electoral mechanisms had been manipulated to favour the ruling party.
The delegation's visit had followed a protest march staged by opposition lawmakers from Parliament toward Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was halted by police forces at Vijay Chowk before a smaller delegation continued inside. Following the discussion, Gandhi stated that the President had instructed them to present documentation supporting their claims and promised to review the situation, while government sources subsequently pushed back against claims that the President had endorsed the opposition's assertions.
The opposition alliance has indicated that it intends to press forward with its campaign concerning the Election Commission, continuing to demand the suspension of the revision exercise alongside institutional accountability. Meanwhile, election authorities have maintained that all regulatory actions adhere strictly to established legal protocols.