Nadaun, September 28, 2026
Former BJP MLA Vijay Agnihotri on Monday criticised the district Congress over its protest concerning alleged “vote theft”, saying the party should place facts and official records before the public instead of creating political confusion over the electoral process.Agnihotri claimed that the Congress protest had failed to draw significant public participation and alleged that several party functionaries and members of the public had stayed away from the demonstration.
He said questions can be raised about the Election Commission and the electoral process as part of democratic discourse, but serious allegations should be supported by verifiable evidence and a clear legal basis.Referring to the Election Commission’s September 26 statement on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Agnihotri said the Congress should examine the official record and substantiate its allegations with facts. The Election Commission has said that its order for the nationwide SIR was issued with the unanimous approval of all three Election Commissioners.
Agnihotri also said that ensuring accurate electoral rolls and facilitating access to the electoral process for eligible voters remains important, particularly in a hill state such as Himachal Pradesh, where voters in remote and rural areas, as well as senior citizens, may face logistical challenges. “If the Congress has questions regarding SIR or any other electoral process, it should place verified facts before the people,” he said.
He also referred to the 2019 contempt proceedings involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his comments linking the Supreme Court’s Rafale order with the political slogan “Chowkidar Chor Hai”. Gandhi subsequently tendered an unconditional apology, and the Supreme Court closed the contempt proceedings while asking him to be more careful in future.
Agnihotri further said the Congress should focus on issues concerning the people of Himachal Pradesh rather than limiting its political discourse to allegations and counter-allegations. He referred to employment, roads, healthcare, education, drinking water and rural development as issues requiring attention. He also asked the Congress government to present a report card before the people on its work and achievements in these sectors.
