In yet another high-voltage political salvo, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has again targeted the Election Commission of India (ECI), repeating his controversial “atom bomb” remark and alleging that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were rigged. Despite a clear rebuttal from the ECI dismissing his earlier statements as “baseless,” Gandhi doubled down during his address at the Annual Legal Conclave 2025 held in New Delhi on Saturday.

The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha asserted that the country’s electoral system is no longer functioning, going as far as to say that India’s democratic machinery is broken. Gandhi claimed that the opposition has unearthed solid proof of voter fraud and electoral manipulation, which will soon be presented publicly.

“The truth is that the election system in India is already dead. The Prime Minister is in power with a very slim majority. If just 15 seats were rigged, he would not be in office,” Gandhi told attendees at the conclave.

He further alleged that fake voters played a crucial role in manipulating the outcome of the general elections. According to Gandhi, 6.5 lakh votes were cast in certain regions, of which 1.5 lakh votes were fake.

“It has taken us six months of non-stop investigation to find this proof. You will soon see with zero doubt how elections can be and were rigged,” he added.

Escalating Accusations

This marks the second consecutive day that Gandhi has publicly slammed the Election Commission. On Friday, he accused the ECI of aiding the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in “vote theft” and claimed to have uncovered information so serious that it would “explode like an atom bomb”.

“The things we found are an atom bomb. When this explodes, you won’t see the Election Commission anymore,” he said previously.

These remarks prompted a sharp response from the ECI, which urged its officials to ignore what it called “daily baseless statements” and continue their duties impartially. In its rebuttal, the ECI stated:

“Despite threats being given daily, election officials must work transparently and ignore such irresponsible statements.”

Nonetheless, Rahul Gandhi has persisted. He insisted that the Congress and allied opposition parties have gathered irrefutable data that exposes the alleged electoral wrongdoing. He promised to reveal this proof to the public soon, despite the lack of specifics or documentation thus far.

Voter Roll Controversies and State-Specific Allegations

Gandhi also brought up the controversial voter rolls in Bihar, which have already sparked significant public and media scrutiny. He tied this alleged anomaly to a larger pattern of systemic voter manipulation engineered to favor the BJP.

He revisited the results of state and general elections in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra to underscore his claims. He questioned how the Congress Party was wiped out in these states despite performing well in the Lok Sabha polls.

“We won the most Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, but just months later, we were completely obliterated in the Assembly elections. That didn’t add up. That’s when we started to look deeply for electoral malpractice,” he said.

According to Gandhi, their investigation revealed that 1 crore new voters appeared in Maharashtra between the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, and that the majority of these votes went to the BJP.

“Now I say this with absolutely no doubt: we have proof,” he declared.

Government Response and Political Backlash

The BJP and various government representatives have hit back at Rahul Gandhi’s statements, calling them “irresponsible, dangerous, and an attack on democratic institutions.” They accused him of attempting to delegitimize India’s electoral system to cover up the Congress party’s poor performance.

Senior BJP leaders criticized the Congress leader’s continued targeting of institutions, claiming that it reflects a broader attempt to undermine public trust in India’s democracy.

“Rahul Gandhi is playing a dangerous game by making baseless claims. His comments are a threat to democratic integrity and institutional credibility,” a senior BJP spokesperson said.

Background: 2024 Lok Sabha Elections and Fallout

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections were among the most tightly contested in recent memory. While the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power, it did so with a narrower margin compared to previous years. The Congress party and its INDIA bloc partners showed improved performance, especially in key states like Maharashtra and Kerala, but still fell short of forming a government.

Since the results, Rahul Gandhi has maintained a confrontational stance, repeatedly accusing the government and institutions like the ECI of subverting democratic processes. His latest series of allegations appear to be part of a broader strategy to question the legitimacy of the current government.

Institutional Trust at Stake

Rahul Gandhi’s latest remarks once again bring the spotlight on institutional accountability, a theme that has dominated opposition politics in recent years. His repeated "atom bomb" metaphor underscores the seriousness with which he frames the issue — yet without substantial evidence presented so far, public reaction remains divided.

Some view his attacks as a long-overdue spotlight on institutional irregularities, while others see it as a political strategy to regain lost ground through populist claims and controversial soundbites.

With Gandhi pledging to release the alleged “proof” in the coming days, political observers, opposition leaders, and the public await to see whether these claims will hold up to scrutiny or become another flashpoint in India’s deeply polarized political landscape.

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