Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has alleged large-scale voter fraud during last year’s Haryana Assembly elections, claiming that as many as 25 lakh votes were stolen. He said the number represents about 12.5% of the total 2 crore voters in the state, calling it “one in every eight voters” being fake.

Gandhi stated that several Congress candidates raised concerns after the election results, saying something appeared “off”. Despite all exit polls predicting a Congress win, the final results gave victory to the BJP.

He also showed a video of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini allegedly saying before the results that “arrangements” had been made for the BJP to win. “What were these arrangements?” Gandhi asked, questioning how the leader could be certain of victory even before counting began.

“Brazilian model voted as Seema and Sweety,” alleges Gandhi

Citing alleged irregularities in the voter list, Gandhi displayed 22 entries featuring the same stock photograph of a Brazilian model, Matheus Ferrero, who appeared multiple times under different names such as Seema, Sweety, and Saraswati. “She votes in 10 different booths in Haryana and has multiple names. This means this is a centralised operation,” he said.

He further claimed there were 100 voter IDs with the same woman’s photo in a single constituency and another image that appeared 223 times across two polling booths. Gandhi alleged that such duplication enabled outsiders to vote multiple times.

“This is the reason the Election Commission destroys CCTV footage of booths,” he said, accusing the poll body of failing to prevent electoral fraud.

Congress lost by narrow margins, says Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said the Congress lost eight constituencies by extremely slim margins, including one by just 32 votes, with the total margin across these seats amounting to 22,779 votes. “This shows how close the election was and how manipulation changed the result,” he said.

The Congress leader alleged that 3.5 lakh names were deleted from Haryana’s voter list before the election. He demanded accountability from the Election Commission, saying it had the capability to remove duplicate entries instantly but chose not to.

Election Commission sources respond

Sources in the Election Commission refuted the claims and questioned why Congress polling agents did not raise objections on voting day. They added that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise was meant to identify duplicate or invalid entries.

“Polling agents are supposed to object if a voter’s identity is doubtful. If Pawan Khera’s name appears in two states’ voter lists, does that mean he votes twice?” an official source asked.

In a landmark political moment, Democrat Zohran Mamdani has been elected as the new mayor of New York City, marking multiple historic firsts. At 34, Mamdani will become the city’s youngest mayor in over a century and the first Muslim and Indian-American of South Asian heritage to hold the office.

Historic victory for a new generation

Mamdani’s win, achieved against heavyweight contenders like former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, represents a generational shift in New York politics. His progressive platform—focusing on affordable housing, public transport, and social equity—struck a chord with voters.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, on October 18, 1991, to Ugandan scholar Mahmood Mamdani and Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, Zohran Mamdani spent his early years in Uganda and South Africa before moving to New York. A graduate of Bowdoin College with a degree in Africana Studies, he co-founded a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter during his university years.

The campaign and vision ahead

Mamdani’s grassroots campaign called for a rent freeze on stabilised units, universal childcare, tuition-free education, and fare-free buses. He also proposed building two lakh public housing units and city-run grocery stores. His plan to raise the minimum wage to $30 by 2030, funded through higher taxes on millionaires and corporations, drew both praise and criticism.

Despite facing ideological opposition and being branded as “too radical” by his rivals, Mamdani’s authenticity and mass connect drove one of the highest voter turnouts in five decades, with over 2 million ballots cast.

Now, as he prepares to assume office on January 1, the young leader faces the challenge of transforming his ambitious promises into policy amid scrutiny from conservatives and the business community alike.

An encounter erupted between security forces and terrorists in the Chhatru area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district early Wednesday, following a joint intelligence-based operation launched by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Operation initiated after credible intelligence inputs

According to officials, the coordinated operation began in the early morning hours after security agencies received specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the region. As the forces advanced during the search, they came under fire, prompting a gun battle.

The White Knight Corps confirmed the development on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Contact with terrorists established in an intelligence-based operation in concert with police in early morning hours today. Fire exchanged with terrorists. Operation is in progress.”

Security personnel have maintained a strong presence in the area as the encounter continues. Additional reinforcements have been positioned to ensure that no escape routes remain open for the militants.

Further updates are awaited as the operation remains ongoing.