Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MLA Hemanga Thakuria on Sunday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent allegations against the Election Commission for electoral malpractice, asserting that the Congress party's decline stems from its inability to accept the reality of BJP's electoral successes across states like Maharashtra.

Speaking to ANI, Thakuria dismissed Gandhi's allegations of EVM tampering and administrative bias, highlighting the Congress's governance in Karnataka and Telangana as evidence against such claims.

He further noted the overwhelming support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the country's people.

'Rahul Gandhi should know that the people of the country are with PM Modi... It's not just a matter of Maharashtra. Wherever elections are being held, the BJP is winning. In Maharashtra, the whole result has gone to the BJP, meaning that people there are happy with PM Modi. Rahul knows, but he still often says that something is wrong with the EVM. Sometimes he says that the administration is with the BJP,' the BJP MLA from Assam said.

'In Karnataka and Telangana, the Congress government came. Does this mean there is no problem with the EVM there? Rahul Gandhi should know the reality; the Congress has deteriorated so much because they don't know reality,' he added.

Thakuria's comments echo earlier criticisms by Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who labelled Gandhi's claims as 'fake narratives'.

Earlier on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi shared an article he authored, alleging the Maharashtra Assembly elections held last year were 'rigged', and claimed that similar tactics could be repeated in the Bihar elections due later this year.

'Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy. My article shows how this happened, step by step,' Rahul Gandhi wrote in a post on X.

In his article, he outlined a five-point process, claiming: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission; Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll; Step 3: Inflate voter turnout; Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where the BJP needs to win; Step 5: Hide the evidence.

Calling it 'match-fixing', Gandhi said that the side cheats might win the game but damage institutions and destroy public faith in the result.

'It's not hard to see why the BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing; the side that cheats might win the game but will damage institutions and destroy public faith in the result. All concerned Indians must see the evidence. Judge for themselves. Demand answers,' he said.

He warned that the 'match-fixing' of Maharashtra would come to Bihar next, where the polls are due later this year, and then 'anywhere' the BJP was losing elections. 'Match-fixed elections are a poison for any democracy,' he added. (ANI)