BJP Challenges Rahul Gandhi's Claims on Voting Integrity with Karnataka Survey Results

BJP Responds to Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

On Friday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized Rahul Gandhi's accusations of 'vote theft', referencing a survey conducted by the Congress-led Karnataka government. The Karnataka administration released findings on Thursday from a survey related to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which indicated that a majority of voters have confidence in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and believe that elections are 'free and fair'. In a statement, BJP's national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawala remarked that Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, consistently spreads 'falsehoods' about EVMs and the Election Commission of India (ECI), but the survey conducted by his own party has exposed these lies. Poonawala emphasized that the survey revealed that voters in Karnataka trust EVMs and consider elections in India to be conducted in a fair manner.

Survey Findings Highlight Voter Confidence

Poonawala further noted that the survey showed that a significant majority of respondents across various departments believe that elections in India are conducted freely and fairly, with 84.55% of citizens agreeing with this statement. Additionally, 83.61% of respondents expressed trust in EVMs. The survey indicated a rise in public confidence in EVMs, increasing from 77.9% in 2023 to the current 83.61%. R. Ashok, the leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Assembly and a BJP member, also referenced this survey to criticize Rahul Gandhi, stating that it serves as a slap in the face for Congress. He argued that Congress's doubts about EVMs and the supreme electoral body reflect their own insecurities, claiming that such theatrics are not about concern for democracy but rather fear of electoral outcomes. He pointed out that Congress only questions institutions when they lose, celebrating the same systems when they win, which he described as self-serving politics.

Details of the Karnataka Survey

The survey titled 'Final Assessment of Citizens' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors (KAP)' was published by the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority (KMEA) and included responses from 5,100 participants across 102 assembly constituencies. Notably, 91.31% of respondents believed that elections in India are free, and 83.61% expressed trust in EVMs.