Congress leader Pratibha Singh has leveled serious allegations against the BJP regarding the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh. She stated that the victory margin of all four BJP candidates in the state was unusually large, raising suspicion.
Himachal Pradesh: Electoral controversy has once again gained momentum in politics. Senior Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee President Pratibha Singh has made serious allegations against the BJP regarding the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She said that the large victory margins of all four BJP candidates in Himachal Pradesh should be viewed with suspicion. This statement comes after recent allegations of vote theft made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during elections, which have created a political stir across the country.
Questions Raised on the 2019 Election Results
Pratibha Singh stated that the victory margin of all four BJP candidates from Himachal Pradesh in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was excessively large, making it difficult to accept based on normal electoral trends. She mentioned that such a broad and one-sided victory had not been seen in the state before 2019. This raises the question of whether the elections were conducted fairly.
Referring specifically to the Mandi parliamentary constituency, Pratibha Singh said that she has represented this seat three times and has complete experience of the area's vote bank. When a new face with no political experience or affiliation wins by such a large margin in 2024, it is natural to have doubts.
Increasing Vote Difference in Elections
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, winners in all four seats of Himachal Pradesh secured victory over Congress candidates by margins ranging from 3.27 lakh to 4.77 lakh votes. This vote difference was much higher compared to a normal electoral contest. Pratibha Singh said that these results were completely opposite to exit polls, media reports, and leaders' expectations, which raises questions about the fairness of the election.
Rahul Gandhi's Claim of Vote Theft and Himachal Pradesh's Connection
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi recently made public the evidence of alleged electoral malpractices in the Mahadevpura area of Karnataka. He accused the Election Commission and the BJP of colluding to steal votes. Following these allegations by Rahul Gandhi, Himachal Pradesh Congress leader Pratibha Singh has also raised her voice regarding irregularities in the 2019 elections.
Pratibha Singh said that Congress leaders from many states have expressed similar apprehensions, and the Congress organization is committed to bringing all these facts to the public.
Political Rhetoric Regarding Vote Theft in Maharashtra as Well
Along with this statement from Himachal Pradesh, rhetoric regarding vote theft has also intensified in other states of the country. In Maharashtra, the two major parties of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), have also accused elections of rigging.
Uddhav Thackeray said that two people offered to manage Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to ensure his party's victory in the election, which could easily win 60-65 tough seats. At the same time, NCP chief Sharad Pawar also said that he was guaranteed victory in 160 seats, which raises questions about the fairness of the election process.
Question Mark on the Election Commission
After the allegations of vote theft, questions are also being raised on the role of the Election Commission. Opposition parties allege that the Election Commission is not working with complete independence and impartiality. They are claiming that the Election Commission has failed to prevent irregularities under pressure from the BJP.
The Election Commission has repeatedly rejected these allegations and said that India's electoral mechanism is completely transparent and fair. The Commission has termed all the allegations as baseless and said that there have been no irregularities in the election processes.
Increasing Tension in the Political Atmosphere
After this statement by Pratibha Singh, the politics of Himachal Pradesh has heated up. The BJP has termed this allegation as baseless and an attempt to give it a political color. BJP leaders say that the Congress is making such allegations to hide its defeat.
On the other hand, the Congress has said that they will thoroughly investigate this matter to protect democracy and bring the reality to the public. The Congress also says that raising voice against electoral irregularities is a democratic right and cannot be suppressed.
