New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) – Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday, accusing him of making "baseless claims" regarding the Maharashtra elections due to frustration over repeated electoral losses.
During a debate in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi alleged that nearly 70 lakh voters—equivalent to the population of Himachal Pradesh—were added to Maharashtra's electoral rolls between the Lok Sabha and state elections. He further demanded that the Election Commission provide data to opposition parties to verify these numbers.
Shinde, however, dismissed Gandhi’s claims as an attempt to mislead the House. "This behavior is unbecoming of the Leader of Opposition and reeks of political desperation," he said, demanding a public apology from Gandhi not just to Maharashtra but to the entire nation.
"He started well, but then went on to question the Maharashtra elections, the Election Commission, the judiciary, and the government. This was expected from the Leader of Opposition after facing repeated electoral defeats," Shinde remarked.
The Shiv Sena leader further accused Gandhi of attempting to "undermine India's democratic integrity" to cover up the Congress party’s electoral failures. Highlighting Maharashtra’s highest voter turnout in 30 years, he credited the Election Commission for its "impeccable management" in ensuring free and fair elections.
"Rahul Gandhi’s tantrums cannot override the will of the people," Shinde asserted, attributing the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections to its own "arrogance, mismanagement, and ideological contradictions."
Shinde also alleged that the people of Maharashtra rejected the "hollow leadership, lack of vision, and failed governance" of the MVA coalition. Taking a jibe at the Congress, he said the party was more focused on securing Priyanka Gandhi’s seat in Wayanad rather than addressing real issues, proving that "for them, family comes before party, and party before the nation."
