The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday took a dig at Rahul Gandhi over Congress-led United Democratic Front sweeping the local body elections in Kerala and wondered by the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha is not questioning the election machinery in the country now.
In an X post, BJP’s Amit Malviya said whenever the results are not in opposition’s favour, Rahul Gandhi blames the EVMs and alleges ‘vote chori’, but raises no such questions when victories come elsewhere.
Malviya, BJP’s IT cell in-charge, said a democracy cannot function on ‘selective trust’. He said the opposition cannot celebrate a win and discredit the very same system when it loses, adding that such an approach won’t help in strengthening the democracy and weaken the public faith.
“If the opposition aspires to be a credible alternative, it must first demonstrate consistency and accountability,” Malviya said. “Questioning outcomes without evidence, after repeatedly contesting and participating in the process, raises serious concerns about political integrity and democratic ethics.”
In his X post, the BJP leader said every opposition party does that, but they should instead focus on their own credibility. Democracy demands leadership that “respects institutions even in defeat”, Malviya said.
“This is not just about one leader or one party. It is time for deeper reflection within the opposition—on credibility, responsibility, and the need for honest political introspection,” he posted.
UDF’s sweeping victory
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) suffered a massive setback in Kerala after the UDF won four out of six municipal bodies, 59 district panchayats, 1063 block panchayats, and 7451 grama panchayats in the local body elections. Gandhi, who represented Kerala’s Wayanad in Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024, lauded the UDF’s performance and thanked the alliance’s leaders for their hard work.
The former Congress president said the results show that people’s faith in the UDF is increasing and the alliance will win the 2026 Kerala assembly elections. Kerala wants “accountable governance that listens, responds, and delivers”, Gandhi said in an X post.
“A salute to the people of Kerala for placing their trust in the UDF in the local body elections. This is a decisive and heartening mandate,” he Xed. “Our focus now is unwavering – standing with the common people of Kerala, addressing their everyday concerns, and ensuring transparent, people-first administration.”