Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's reaction regarding the election results. Pradhan said that there is no logic in Rahul showing anger on selected issues. After continuous defeats, instead of introspecting, questions started being raised on the electoral process. Calling Kerala elections credible while elections elsewhere are described as stolen, shows a contradiction in the thinking of the Congress. Earlier yesterday, Rahul had alleged that BJP had stolen elections in West Bengal and Assam with the help of the Election Commission.
BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan attacked the Congress leader and said, "There is no point in Rahul Gandhi showing anger on selected issues. Instead of introspecting even after repeated election defeats, whenever the election results were not in its favor, the Congress started raising questions on the election process itself."
On the Kerala election results, he said, “When your party wins in Kerala, the same Election Commission becomes “trusted” and “independent”. When results go anywhere else, it becomes “compromised” and “stolen”. This attitude towards democracy as per its convenience shows a clear contradiction in the thinking of the Congress.”
LoP Shri @RahulGandhi Yes, selective outrage is not an argument.
Instead of undertaking introspection after repeated electoral setbacks, Congress has increasingly resorted to questioning the electoral process itself whenever outcomes are unfavourable.
When your party wins
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) May 5, 2026
Attacking the Congress, Pradhan said, “One can wonder whether the Congress feels that there is a setting in democracy that says ‘it is valid only if we win’.” He said, "The Election Commission is a constitutional body that has conducted elections in different states for decades, and at different times the results have also been in favor of different parties - be it BJP, Congress, or other regional parties. The integrity of the institution cannot be turned on or off on the basis of which party has won."
"From West Bengal to Assam and beyond, viewing election results with suspicion rather than acceptance turns voters' complex choices into political indictments. When results are divided or unpredictable, it also reflects voter preferences, not "stolen votes."
He said, "The mandate is decided by the voters, and not by stories created after the results. A mandate is a mandate, whether it is as per our political convenience or not. Democracies work on accepting the results and being accountable to the people, not on attempts to invalidate the results when they are not as per expectations."
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Such repeated attempts to discredit the results do not strengthen democracy. They ultimately weaken the Congress's own credibility, as voters see it as turning away from defeat rather than accepting it. At this juncture, perhaps the only thing that is consistently 'rigged' is the Congress's relationship with electoral reality."
Earlier on Monday, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the Indian BJP had stolen the elections in West Bengal and Assam with the help of the Election Commission. Rahul supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claim that 100 seats have been looted in West Bengal. Gandhi wrote on 'X', 'There are clear cases of BJP stealing the elections of Assam and Bengal with the help of the Election Commission. We agree with Mamta on this. More than 100 seats were stolen in Bengal.
