Bengaluru, Sept. 27 – Congress Karnataka unit president B.K. Hariprasad told reporters that the BJP‑led National Democratic Alliance cannot replicate the electoral strategy that won the party in Bihar, arguing that Karnataka’s political environment and the Election Commission’s role differ significantly.
Hariprasad warned that if BJP leaders claim victory in Karnataka by relying on the Election Commission as an umpire, the approach would fail. He cited senior lawyer Nani Palkhivala’s warning that constitutional institutions that trade independence for favour are more dangerous than dictatorships, and said the BJP’s attempts to shift attention from questions about the Commission by targeting Rahul Gandhi are unacceptable.
The Congress leader said the party has raised serious questions about the Election Commission that cannot be addressed through slogans or hashtags. He called on Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, to investigate allegations transparently and present facts, insisting that clean records should receive clear answers.
Hariprasad also criticized Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, accusing him of seeking an apology from Rahul Gandhi over criticism of the Commission and alleging that Chandrasekhar’s political record in Karnataka’s Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections was tainted by inducements offered to legislators in 2006 and 2012. He demanded a public investigation into the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence decisions made during Chandrasekhar’s tenure and any benefits he received.
Finally, Hariprasad said the BJP is attempting to defend the Election Commission through its spokespersons instead of allowing the institution to respond to allegations. He quoted Union Minister Chirag Paswan’s remark that the Commission should defend itself when serious allegations arise, and warned that the BJP’s strategy to shield the poll panel poses a danger to democracy and undermines democratic processes.
