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Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said if Rahul Gandhi’s allegations are based in fact, then he should submit an affidavit and not “run away” from filing a formal complaint

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis speaks at the News18 Townhall in Mumbai on August 13. (Image: News18)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi over his vote theft allegations and said the Congress leader has no evidence in the matter.
Fadnavis said the matter is not about ‘vote chori’ but “dimaag chori“. He said if Gandhi’s allegations are based in fact, then he should submit an affidavit and not “run away” from filing a formal complaint.
“…The matter is not of vote-chori, it is about ‘dimag-chori’. If your claims are right, give an affidavit. Let the EC face it. Rahul Gandhi has no evidence,” Fadnavis said at the News18 Townhall event in Mumbai.
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Taking a swipe at the opposition, he said the “chip of opposition’s brain is damaged” and it is habitual of them to “shoot the lie and just disappear”. He even made a Bollywood reference, saying Rahul is in an “illusion” like the Munnabhai MBBS character that has visions of Mahatma Gandhi speaking to him.
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“Rahul was given notice by EC thrice. Rahul has no proof, he is running away from filing the complaint. Rahul is in a illusion (just like Munnabhai MBBS movie character where he could see Gandhi ji speaking to him),” he said.
His remarks came on a day the Congress intensified its campaign against alleged ‘vote chori’ by releasing a new video depicting how fake votes were being cast and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge asking people to raise their voice and save constitutional institutions from the “clutches of the BJP”.
Gandhi also shared the minute-long video and said, “Aapke vote ki chori aapke adhikar ki chori, aapki pehchaan ki chori hai.”
Tagging the advertisement titled “booth par vote chori”, Kharge said: “Do not let your rights to vote be snatched away. Ask questions, demand answers this time! Raise your voice against vote chori. Free constitutional institutions from the clutches of the BJP,” he said in his message to the people on X.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also shared the video on X, and said: “The theft of your vote is theft of your rights, theft of your identity. Save your right to vote, Raise your voice against vote theft.”
The Congress has announced a roadmap to take its allegations to the people through various activities, including taking out ‘Loktantra bachao mashaal marches’ on August 14. It has also launched a web portal for people to register and demand accountability from the poll panel against what it called “vote chori”, and express support for the demand for digital voter rolls.
(With PTI inputs)

Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st…Read More
Oindrila Mukherjee is a senior sub-editor who works for the rewrite and breaking news desks. Her nine years of experience in print and digital journalism range from editing and reporting to writing impactful st… Read More
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