Rahul Gandhi Accuses ECI of ‘Vote Theft’ During Rae Bareli Visit, Faces Protest from BJP Minister
Lucknow/Rae Bareli, September 10, 2025 — Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday, reiterating his charge of “vote theft” while addressing party workers and reporters during his two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli.
‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ Slogan
Before attending a local event, Gandhi told reporters that the Congress party’s campaign against alleged electoral malpractice was resonating nationally.
“The main slogan is ‘vote chor, gaddi chhod’ and that is being proved across the country. We will prove it again and again in more and more dramatic ways,” Gandhi said.
On his way to Rae Bareli, he stopped at an eatery and interacted with Congress workers. Gandhi said that earlier people suspected irregularities in elections but lacked concrete proof.
“But now we have the evidence, and the vote theft is going on. We have to stop it,” he urged. He further accused the Election Commission of functioning in an “autocratic manner,” ignoring the evidence presented by the opposition.
Protest by UP Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh
Gandhi’s convoy faced resistance when Uttar Pradesh Horticulture Minister Dinesh Pratap Singh, a BJP leader, staged a protest along with his supporters at Kathwara, Rae Bareli.
Chanting slogans like “Go back Rahul Gandhi,” Singh accused the Congress MP of using derogatory language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his mother at a rally in Bihar. The protesters demanded an apology, saying Modi was the Prime Minister of the entire nation, including Gandhi himself.
The protest briefly halted Gandhi’s convoy about a kilometre from its scheduled destination. A minor scuffle broke out between protesters and police before the situation was brought under control.
Alliance Symbolism Ahead of Visit
Earlier in the morning, Gandhi met Samajwadi Party leaders at Harchandpur, signaling continued coordination among INDIA bloc allies in Uttar Pradesh.
His visit also drew attention because of a controversial poster put up by Rahul Nirmal Bagi, state secretary of Lohia Vahini. The poster depicted Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav as the Hindu trinity — Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh — symbolizing unity among opposition leaders.
Packed Schedule in Rae Bareli
This is Gandhi’s sixth visit to Rae Bareli since the Lok Sabha elections and his first since late April. During his two-day tour on September 10–11, he is scheduled to:
- Meet booth-level party workers to strengthen the Congress’s grassroots presence.
- Participate in the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting to review central and state development schemes.
- Interact with members of the Prajapati community to understand their concerns.
- Inaugurate the newly constructed Ashoka Pillar at Gora Bazar intersection.
- Plant trees at Veera Pasi forest in Mulihamau village to promote environmental awareness.
- Conclude the day with another round of booth-level worker meetings in Unchahar Assembly segment.
Political Context
Rahul Gandhi won the Rae Bareli seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, reclaiming the Gandhi family’s stronghold after his mother, Sonia Gandhi, shifted to the Rajya Sabha. His repeated visits underscore the Congress’s efforts to consolidate support in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the next electoral cycle.
By reviving the charge of “vote theft,” Gandhi is sharpening his attack on the Election Commission and the BJP government, attempting to rally opposition forces on the issue of electoral integrity.
Final Thoughts from TheTrendingPeople.com
Rahul Gandhi’s sharp rhetoric in Rae Bareli reflects the Congress’s strategy of keeping the spotlight on electoral transparency while simultaneously consolidating grassroots support. However, the confrontation with BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh also highlights how polarised the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh remains.
As Gandhi balances local outreach with national-level charges against the Election Commission, Rae Bareli once again becomes the symbolic epicenter of Congress’s battle for relevance in India’s largest state.