New Delhi/ Bengaluru, 14 Dec

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar asserted that the Congress party's rally against alleged 'vote chori' (vote theft) in New Delhi is to protect every citizen's right to vote.

Accusing the BJP government at the Centre of restricting vehicles with Congress workers from entering Delhi to participate in the party's mega rally, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress President, said that about 3,500-4,000 party leaders and workers came from the State to participate in the rally.

Congress held a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday, against the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft).

"We (State Congress) have made accommodation for 1,500 people (party workers and leaders), more than 2,000 people have made their own arrangements. They have come by flight and train. About 3,500-4,000 people have come. About 1.42 crore signatures have been gathered from the State (as part of its signature campaign)," Shivakumar said.

Speaking to press in New Delhi, he said, there is a lot of enthusiasm among party workers and leaders. They are committed to saving the party in the State and at the national level.

"The BJP and the Central government are stopping vehicles (with Congress workers) from coming to Delhi, they are apparently not allowing vehicles to enter the city,” Shivakumar alleged. “I don't know why they are doing this. I don't know why the BJP and the central government are so worried. But no one can stop our voice.”

Reacting to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly terming Congress party's rally as an "act of frustration" due to electoral losses, the Bengaluru Minister said,  "Let them say anything for their enjoyment. We, the Congressmen, won't think about electoral victories and losses.”

Shivakumar said that both he and Siddaramaiah will attend the rally, but did not comment on meeting the High Command.

Slogans calling Shivakumar the "next CM" were raised by his supporters as the Deputy CM left the Karnataka Bhavan.

Congress MLC Saleem Ahmed, who attended the party’s ‘vote chori’ rally said that despite BJP’s victories in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Haryana, the results did not reflect the people's mandate but institutional bias.

“BJP won elections in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Haryana, but it is not the people's victory. It is the Election Commission's and BJP's victory," he said.

Minister NS Boseraju said legislators and party workers from the State had gathered in Delhi to participate in the rally.

"MLAs, MLCs, and party workers have come here to participate in the rally on Vote Chori," Boseraju added.

Karnataka Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge has claimed that the state’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered substantial evidence of vote fraud in the Aland Assembly constituency, accusing the former BJP MLA Subhash Guttedar and his son of orchestrating the scheme. Kharge alleged that the BJP deleted 5,994 voters using forged logins, asserting, "The BJP's #VoteChori factory in Aland is fully exposed... The SIT has filed a chargesheet despite the Election Commission’s roadblocks.”

Kharge also slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his language in the Parliament during the debate on electoral reforms, stating it reflected a deeper mindset within the ruling party. "Your language reveals your mindset," he remarked.