Mumbai, January 16: Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, intensified his long-standing feud with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday, accusing the poll body of "gaslighting" citizens and facilitating "vote theft." The allegations surfaced as counting began for high-stakes elections across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Early trends on Friday morning showed the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance maintaining a significant lead in the cash-rich BMC and several other major civic bodies.

Taking to social media platform X, the Congress leader characterized the alleged irregularities as a threat to national integrity. "Election Commission gaslighting citizens is how trust has collapsed in our democracy," Gandhi wrote. "‘Vote Chori’ [vote theft] is an anti-national act." The statement follows months of friction between the Congress and the ECI. In late 2025, Gandhi raised similar concerns regarding the Haryana assembly polls, leading the Commission to demand he provide a signed affidavit to back his claims—a step the poll body says he has yet to take. Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Elections 2026 Results Live News Updates: Congress Leads in Latur Civic Body, BJP Ahead in Solapur.

The latest friction stems from Thursday’s polling, which was marred by widespread reports that the ink used to mark voters’ fingers could be easily erased. Opposition leaders, including the reunited Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, claimed that "marker pens" were used instead of traditional indelible ink. Social media was flooded with videos of voters allegedly wiping off the marks using hand sanitizer or acetone. State Election Commissioner (SEC) Dinesh Waghmare has since ordered a formal probe into the quality of the ink and the authenticity of the viral videos. As a precautionary measure, the SEC announced it would revert to traditional liquid ink for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections in February.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed Gandhi’s remarks as a preemptive excuse for an expected electoral defeat. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla labeled the opposition the "bahana brigade" (excuse brigade), accusing them of attempting to distort public perception. "Accepting defeat before counting ends?" Poonawalla posted. "Rahul is back to doing what he does best—discredit, distort, and disinform." Other BJP leaders pointed out that while the ink issue is being investigated, no specific instances of "bogus voting" were officially recorded during Thursday’s polls, which saw a voter turnout of approximately 50%. Pune PMC Election Results 2026: Early Trends Indicate BJP Leading in 38 Seats in Blow to 'Pawar' Power.

‘Vote Chori Is an Anti-National Act’

The Maharashtra civic polls are seen as a critical litmus test for the state’s fractured political landscape. The contest features a direct battle between the ruling Mahayuti (BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT, and Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP). Control of the BMC, which operates with an annual budget exceeding ₹74,000 crore, remains the most coveted prize of the election cycle.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 16, 2026 12:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).