The Election Commission’s Sunday announcement of poll dates for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry has ignited a firestorm of criticism from Congress stalwart Surendra Rajput. Zeroing in on the Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry schedule—voting April 9, results May 4—he branded it a suspicious ‘collusive kabaddi match’ between the poll panel and BJP.
Speaking candidly, Rajput challenged the logic: ‘EC boasts of EVMs for swift results, but a 25-day delay? Whose interests does this serve? BJP and EC must explain if they’re playing a fixed game.’ His remarks underscore broader distrust in the electoral machinery.
On Bengal’s secretary dismissals, Rajput was scathing. ‘Expected from a BJP-controlled EC that treats opposition states as foes. They ignored our complaints elsewhere but pounce here,’ he said, alleging partisan conduct.
Echoing Shivakumar’s expose on Rajya Sabha bribe offers, Rajput recounted BJP’s history of horse-trading. ‘Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Northeast—same script. Rajasthan resisted under Gehlot. This money-driven assault on democracy demands accountability,’ he asserted.
With elections looming, Rajput’s pointed critique highlights deepening rifts, urging reforms to restore faith in free and fair polls. The coming weeks will test the EC’s impartiality amid these high-stakes battles.