Political Storm Erupts Over Mahua Moitra's Bangladesh Comparison
Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra found herself at the center of a major political controversy on Wednesday after her reaction to the arrest of Bangladesh's former election commissioner in an election-manipulation case. The Lok Sabha MP suggested the development was a sign of "things to come" in India, appearing to reference the INDIA bloc's allegations that the Election Commission of India chief is collaborating with the ruling BJP to manipulate elections.
BJP's Sharp Counterattack
The BJP responded swiftly and strongly to Moitra's comments, with national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla launching a scathing attack. "Mahua Moitra is a Member of Parliament of India, but she speaks like an enemy of the country," Poonawalla told ANI. He questioned whether she was implying that India's democracy resembles Bangladesh's and recalled similar statements from RJD leaders and Rahul Gandhi about turning India into Bangladesh or Nepal if they lose elections.
Congress Joins Election Commission Critique
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised serious concerns about the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise during meetings with AICC office-bearers from 12 states and Union Territories. According to sources, Gandhi argued that while the Election Commission is responsible for maintaining accurate voter rolls, it appears to be shifting this burden onto political parties. He questioned the implementation of SIR, warning that it "could lead to the removal of legitimate voters" and urged the Congress to counter the drive politically, organizationally, and legally.
Several other Congress leaders echoed these concerns, reviving their familiar "vote-chori" allegations and describing the SIR as a "sinister attempt to destroy Democracy."
Election Commission's Massive Exercise Progresses
Even as opposition resistance intensifies, the Election Commission reported significant progress in its voter enumeration drive. The commission has already distributed 50.25 crore enumeration forms across the 12 states and UTs, covering 98.54 per cent of the 50.97 crore eligible voters in these regions.
The first phase of the revision spans Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Notably, four of these states - Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal - are scheduled to hold elections in 2026.
The second phase of SIR began on November 4 and will continue until December 4. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has continued questioning recent electoral outcomes, terming the Bihar results "surprising" and casting doubts on the fairness of the process, with the Congress later alleging the verdict reflected "vote chori on a gigantic scale."
