Why Doesn't Congress Boycott If Polls Are "Fixed"? Answer Lies Beyond Rahul Gandhi's "Distraction" Quip
Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc continue to allege that Indian elections are manipulated, though they have declined to boycott the process. The article explores the political tension between these claims and the decision to remain engaged in the electoral system.
Why it matters
Examines the legitimacy of democratic institutions and the strategic dilemmas faced by opposition parties in India.
If you say the umpire is fixed, why play? When you say it like that, it sounds simple enough. Only, it isn't.
For months now, Rahul Gandhi has argued that the Election Commission of India is fixed. He has alleged "vote chori" from Karnataka to Haryana to Maharashtra, carried the charge on a yatra across Bihar, and recently told Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar to "turn approver", claiming there's a case of voter-list manipulation across recent elections.
"Today elections are fundamentally broken, and the laws passed by the Parliament thus elected could be seen as illegal, because the vote has been destroyed," said the Leader of Opposition, claiming vindication after The Indian Express revealed dissent within the EC .
The EC's clarifications later triggered an instant Congress response: "Fundamental questions remain unanswered ."
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2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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