Hyderabad: BJP MP Eatala Rajender on Tuesday alleged that Congress had failed to discharge its role as the principal Opposition party. He said the party had not adequately raised issues concerning the people.
Rajender addressed the media in New Delhi along with BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind and BJLP leader A. Maheshwar Reddy. He accused Congress leaders of making what he called baseless allegations out of political intolerance.
Rajender also criticised Rahul Gandhi over his statements about India and its democratic institutions. He raised the issue while discussing the Congress opposition role in Parliament.
On electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, Rajender said such revisions were not new. He claimed authorities had conducted similar exercises several times since Independence, with the latest one taking place in 2021.
He also said several committees had examined electoral reforms. Rajender questioned Congress criticism of electronic voting machines and referred to the history of EVM use in elections.
He said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had introduced EVMs. Rajender added that authorities introduced VVPATs in 2017 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rajender questions criticism of electoral process
Referring to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rajender said the BJP had campaigned with the slogan “Ab Ki Baar 400 Paar” but won 240 seats. He questioned why the party would not have reached the target if EVMs could be manipulated.
Rajender also questioned demands for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. He asked whether removing deceased voters or people who had shifted residences from electoral rolls could be considered improper.
He raised concerns about multiple voter registrations as well. Rajender said authorities should maintain the principle of “one person, one vote”.
On voter turnout, he attributed lower participation in urban constituencies, including Malkajgiri, to people having registrations at multiple locations. He argued that officials should update electoral rolls periodically.
