A survey conducted by a Karnataka government agency has found that a large majority of people in the state believe elections in India are conducted freely and fairly, with strong confidence in the accuracy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The findings have given the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fresh ammunition to attack the ruling Congress, particularly amid Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing campaign alleging electoral manipulation.

The study, carried out by the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority, reported that 91.31% of respondents agreed that elections in India are free and fair. The findings come at a time when Rahul Gandhi has been alleging “vote theft” and questioning the role of the Election Commission, with Karnataka’s Kalaburagi region featuring prominently in his campaign narrative.

Reacting to the survey, senior BJP leader R Ashoka said the findings exposed what he described as the Congress party’s political insecurity. In a post on social media, he said citizens had shown confidence in the electoral system while the Congress continued to cast doubts on democratic institutions.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also cited the survey to counter Rahul Gandhi’s allegations, saying the Congress leader’s claims had been contradicted by a study conducted under a Congress-led government in Karnataka. He added that several Congress leaders and allies had earlier distanced themselves from the allegations of vote manipulation, attributing electoral losses to internal party issues instead.

Survey shows strongest confidence in Kalaburagi

According to the report, the survey covered 5,100 respondents across 102 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Mysuru divisions.

Public confidence was strongest in the Kalaburagi division, where over 94% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that elections were conducted fairly. Belagavi and Mysuru divisions also recorded high levels of trust in the electoral process, reflecting broad public acceptance of the system across regions.

The findings are part of a study titled Lok Sabha elections 2024 – Evaluation of endline survey of knowledge, attitude and practice of citizens.

Background to the political row

In September, Rahul Gandhi had accused the Election Commission of facilitating large-scale deletion of Opposition supporters from voter lists ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. The allegations followed claims by Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge, who said there was evidence of attempts to remove voters’ names and wrote to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer seeking action.

The Congress has maintained that voter list irregularities affected the electoral process, while the BJP has repeatedly rejected the charge, arguing that the survey findings reflect public trust in India’s democratic institutions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated BJP leader VV Rajesh on being elected Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, calling the party’s victory a historic milestone in Kerala’s urban political landscape.

In a letter shared by Rajesh on social media, the Prime Minister said the election result marked the end of what he described as a “fixed match” between the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which have dominated the state’s politics for decades.

PM Modi also congratulated GS Asha Nath, who was elected Deputy Mayor on the same day, along with newly elected BJP councillors and party workers for what he termed an epoch-making performance in the local body elections.

PM Modi praises Thiruvananthapuram and BJP workers

Recalling his visits to Kerala’s capital, the Prime Minister described Thiruvananthapuram as a city of cultural, spiritual and intellectual significance, blessed by Sree Padmanabhaswamy and known for nurturing reformers, artists and thinkers.

He said the BJP’s vision of a “Viksit Thiruvananthapuram” resonated with people across social groups, adding that voters had seen the Centre’s work and its focus on urban development in other states.

PM Modi also targeted the LDF and UDF, alleging that both fronts had presided over poor governance, corruption and political violence in the state. He praised BJP workers in Kerala for continuing their efforts despite hostility and adversity, stating that many had raised public issues fearlessly even at personal cost.

According to the Prime Minister, the BJP-NDA is emerging as an alternative “rooted in nationalism without exclusion, development without corruption and governance without appeasement,” particularly appealing to youngsters and women in the state.

BJP records first mayoral win in Kerala capital

VV Rajesh, BJP state secretary and councillor from the Kodunganoor ward, was elected Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation on December 26. He secured 51 votes, including support from 50 BJP councillors and one independent councillor.

The UDF candidate KS Sabarinathan received 17 votes, while LDF’s RP Shivaji secured 29 votes. GS Asha Nath was elected Deputy Mayor on the same day.

The result marks the first time the BJP has won the mayor’s post in Thiruvananthapuram, signalling a significant breakthrough for the party in Kerala’s urban politics.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Uttar Pradesh has sparked controversy after launching a personal attack on actor Shah Rukh Khan over the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) decision to buy Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.

Sangeet Som, a former member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, referred to Khan as a “traitor” during a public gathering in Meerut, objecting to the inclusion of a Bangladeshi player at a time when reports of atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh have emerged.

Som claimed that while violence against Hindus was taking place in Bangladesh, KKR’s owner had gone ahead and signed a Bangladeshi cricketer. He further alleged that Rahman, who was bought for Rs 9.2 crore during the IPL Players’ Auction held on December 16, would face opposition if he arrived in India to participate in the tournament, which is expected to begin in March.

The BJP leader also accused Shah Rukh Khan of benefiting from the country and then betraying it through such decisions. His remarks drew sharp reactions across the political spectrum.

Spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur also criticised the KKR management for signing the Bangladeshi player and urged the franchise not to include Rahman in the playing squad. He alleged that the sentiments of Hindus were ignored despite reports of violence in Bangladesh.

Opposition leaders condemned Som’s comments and accused the BJP of targeting the actor unfairly. Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey criticised the remarks, while a Congress leader alleged that Shah Rukh Khan was being targeted because of his religious identity.

BJP ally and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar distanced himself from Som’s statements, saying the former MLA often makes such remarks to remain in public attention.

The political row comes at a time when relations between India and Bangladesh have shown signs of strain. Tensions escalated last month after a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh over alleged blasphemy, with his body later set on fire.