From Defeat To Denial: Rahul Gandhi's Misdirected War On Democracy

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Democracy demands robust opposition, not reckless obstruction. Rahul Gandhi's article, if anything, is a manual on how not to lose gracefully
Rahul Gandhi wrote a piece titled Match-Fixing Maharashtra on June 7, 2025, in The Indian Express, which caught my attention. This article, riddled with speculative accusations and selective facts, demanded a serious response, not because it was grounded in democratic concern, but because it was laced with contempt for constitutional institutions.
Gandhi's allegations, already covered by the Election Commission in extensive detail, deserve critical scrutiny. Not for the sake of rebutting every unfounded claim, but to highlight a dangerous trend: persistent delegitimisation of India's democratic architecture to cover political inadequacy.
The Article That Confuses, Not Convinces
The central motif of Rahul Gandhi's article is clear: if he cannot win electorally, the system must be rigged. This isn't new. When institutions don't echo his voice, he brands them as compromised. It is the same philosophy that fuels his campaign against the judiciary, the Election Commission, and even the growing voter base. His article, while camouflaged as a democratic concern, plays into the narrative of confusion and distrust. It is a textbook case of the fallacy: if you can't convince them, confuse them.
In his haste to cry foul over the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Gandhi overlooked facts already on public record. These facts, when properly understood, dismantle his claims and show that nothing extraordinary occurred except perhaps the electorate's rejection of his politics.
Myth 1: Match-Fixing Elections
Rahul Gandhi's use of the term 'match-fixing" is not only irresponsible, it is inflammatory. By insinuating that elections were rigged without substantiating those claims with legally admissible evidence, he undermined the very institutions that uphold democracy. The Election Commission had, in fact, already addressed the concerns raised. Gandhi's article made no mention of the 60-page letter dated December 24, 2024, sent to his party's legal representative, which responded to all allegations with data.
Moreover, the consistent participation of the opposition in the electoral process, from campaigning to counting, negates the idea of match-fixing. Elections are conducted under the vigilant eyes of polling agents, observers, and the media. Suggesting manipulation without credible proof is not dissent, it's disruption.
Myth 2: Bogus Voters
Gandhi's next point, voter roll inflation, is neither new nor unique to Maharashtra. He finds suspicious the increase of 31 lakh voters in five years and 41 lakh in five months. But these figures fall well within historical trends. Between 2004 and 2009, 1 crore voters were added; between 2014 and 2019, 63 lakh more were enrolled. In 2024, 40.8 lakh new voters were added, including 26.4 lakh young voters, a logical rise given India's demographic dynamics.
Accusing these voters of being bogus is not only defamatory, it is also dismissive of youth participation in democracy. Instead of encouraging voter engagement, Gandhi's statements cast aspersions on millions of first-time voters. That is not a critique; it is contempt.
Myth 3: Last-Hour Voting Surge
Gandhi claimed that a suspicious voting surge occurred in the last hour of polling, suggesting manipulation. But here's the reality: the average polling rate throughout the day was 5.83 per cent per hour. A spike to 7.83 per cent in the last hour is within the bounds of statistical probability, especially since voters present at the booth by 6 pm are legally entitled to vote.
This isn't peculiar to Maharashtra. In the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a 5.75 per cent increase was recorded after 5 pm. Why was this not a problem then? Because the Congress won those seats. What Rahul Gandhi calls an 'issue" arises only when the outcome doesn't suit him.
Myth 4: Constituency-Level Fixing
Rahul Gandhi cherry-picked 12,000 polling stations across 85 constituencies to claim targeted rigging. But if you look deeper, you find a more nuanced reality. In constituencies like Madha, Wani, and Shrirampur, which showed voter surges, candidates from Sharad Pawar's NCP, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, and the Congress itself won.
Hence, the data doesn't support his hypothesis that a high last-hour turnout favoured only the BJP-led NDA. The selective use of constituency data is a classic case of misdirection. It is not the data that's flawed, it's the analysis, or rather, the lack of it.
Myth 5: ECI's Complicity
Perhaps the most alarming of all Gandhi's claims is that the Election Commission of India is compromised. Ironically, it was the Congress-led government that, until 2024, unilaterally appointed Chief Election Commissioners. Under Modi, a new committee involving the Leader of the Opposition was constituted as a democratic upgrade.
Rahul Gandhi's angst seems to lie in the very democratisation of a process his party previously monopolised. In his world, reform is acceptable only if it serves the Congress party. Anything else is betrayal.
Politics Of Perpetual Excuses
Rahul Gandhi has, once again, chosen the easier path of blaming systems instead of introspecting on failures. He questions the mandate because he failed to secure it. But elections are not won by slogans or marches; they are won by connection, credibility, and conviction.
His refusal to accept defeat gracefully and to instead vilify every institution that upholds our democracy is dangerous. This is not leadership; it is a tantrum disguised as a revolution.
Conclusion: From Fiction To Fact
Democracy demands robust opposition, not reckless obstruction. Rahul Gandhi's article, if anything, is a manual on how not to lose gracefully. While he fashions himself as a defender of democracy, his words serve only to degrade it.
It is time Rahul Gandhi respects the people's verdict instead of mocking it. And if he wants to be taken seriously as a political leader, he must rise above rhetorical sabotage and begin the difficult journey of real introspection. Until then, his speeches and writings will continue to sound less like statesmanship and more like sour grapes.
The writer is a technocrat, political analyst, and author. He pens national, geopolitical, and social issues. His social media handle is @prosenjitnth. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views.
About the Author
Prosenjit Nath
The writer is an Indian technocrat, political analyst, and author.
tags :
election commission Maharashtra elections Rahul Gandhi
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 13:52 IST
News opinion Opinion | From Defeat To Denial: Rahul Gandhi's Misdirected War On Democracy