GUNTUR, September 28, 2026 (Journalist File): BJP Andhra Pradesh chief spokesperson Valluri Jayaprakash Narayana on Monday accused opposition parties and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of making what he described as unfounded allegations against constitutional institutions, arguing that the criticism followed the country's development and recent electoral outcomes.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP office in Chandramouli Nagar, Narayana said questions over electronic voting machines had increasingly been raised by the Congress after electoral defeats. He questioned why similar allegations were not made when the party won elections in states such as Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana, while concerns over EVMs were raised following defeats elsewhere.
Narayana also criticised Gandhi's recent criticism of the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He said the Congress leader had previously questioned other constitutional institutions and argued that political leaders should exercise caution before making allegations against bodies entrusted with constitutional responsibilities.
On the revision of electoral rolls, Narayana said the Election Commission was acting on reports submitted following field-level verification by Booth Level Officers. He said the absence of a name from a draft electoral roll should not automatically be interpreted as permanent deletion of a voter's name, adding that eligible new voters were also being enrolled.
Narayana referred to changes in the process for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and said the Leader of the Opposition had been included in the selection process. He claimed Gandhi had participated in the appointment process in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition and questioned the basis for subsequently alleging irregularities in the functioning of the institution.
He said the Election Commission was required to operate within the Constitution and applicable laws and rejected allegations that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise was intended to remove millions of genuine voters. He said field verification could identify deceased voters and people who had permanently shifted to other places, while eligible voters could be added to the rolls through the prescribed process.
Narayana also referred to earlier controversies surrounding comments by Gandhi on national security and said political disputes should not undermine public confidence in constitutional institutions. He alleged that opposition parties were making politically motivated claims against the government instead of acknowledging development taking place across different sectors.
He further asked the Congress to reflect on instances in which former election officials were subsequently appointed to political positions. Narayana called on Gandhi to publicly apologise for his allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, saying criticism of constitutional institutions should be based on verified facts.
BJP district president Cherukuri Tirupathi Rao, state spokesperson Darshanapu Srinivas, state executive committee member Palapati Ravikumar, state media panelist Taduvai Ramakrishna and Andhra Pradesh Brahmin Welfare Corporation director Velagaleti Gangadhar were among those present at the press conference.
