Rahul Gandhi Challenges Election Integrity Amid BJP's Setback

Rahul Gandhi, India's opposition leader, claims that the general elections were structured to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP, citing financial advantages and accusations of manipulated Election Commission actions. Despite these claims, the BJP lost its outright majority, forming a coalition government for the first time in a decade.

Rahul Gandhi, India's opposition leader, said on Tuesday that the recent two-month general elections were not a free exercise but were structured to give an unfair advantage to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gandhi did not provide evidence but reported significant financial constraints and alleged Election Commission bias.

Despite these claims, the Indian electorate delivered a surprising outcome. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost its outright majority and was compelled to form a coalition government for the first time in ten years. The BJP secured 240 seats, 32 short of the majority in the parliament's lower house, while its National Democratic Alliance won 293 seats. The opposition INDIA alliance led by Gandhi's Congress party won 230 seats, with Congress itself claiming 99.

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused Gandhi of tarnishing the nation's image, an act he described as treasonous. Meanwhile, the controversy over the election's integrity continues with recurring accusations about voting machine tampering, which the Election Commission and India's Supreme Court have consistently denied.

(With inputs from agencies.)