SRINAGAR: Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “vote chori” (vote theft), claiming that the country’s deepening youth unemployment crisis stems directly from electoral fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Centre.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Gandhi alleged that the BJP has remained in power by “capturing institutions” and “stealing votes”, rather than winning elections fairly. He argued that a government genuinely elected by the people would prioritise creating jobs and opportunities for the youth.
भारत में युवाओं की सबसे बड़ी समस्या बेरोज़गारी है – और इसका सीधा रिश्ता वोट चोरी से है।
जब कोई सरकार जनता का विश्वास जीतकर सत्ता में आती है, तो उसका पहला कर्तव्य होता है युवाओं को रोज़गार और अवसर देना।
लेकिन BJP चुनाव ईमानदारी से नहीं जीतती – वो वोट चोरी और संस्थाओं को कैद कर… pic.twitter.com/DlDmdYOl5i
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 23, 2025
“The biggest problem for youth in India is unemployment – and it is directly linked to vote theft,” he wrote. “But the BJP does not win elections honestly – they stay in power by stealing votes and holding institutions captive.”
Gandhi further claimed that the BJP’s influence over institutions has led to a collapse in recruitment mechanisms, leaving millions of young Indians disillusioned and without prospects. “Breaking the hopes of the youth and making them desperate has become the hallmark of this government,” he added, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of focusing more on publicity and “profits of billionaires” than on employment.
The Congress MP, who represents Wayanad in Kerala, asserted that the “tide is changing” and that young Indians are increasingly aware that their fight is not only for jobs but also for the integrity of elections. “Freeing India from unemployment and vote theft is now the greatest patriotism,” he said.
Gandhi also reiterated longstanding claims of large-scale electoral fraud, alleging the manipulation of voter rolls and systemic targeting of Opposition votes. In remarks made in Wayanad on 20 September, he said the Congress was preparing to release what he termed a “hydrogen bomb” of evidence to prove Prime Minister Modi’s involvement in vote tampering.
“We have open and shut proof… 100 per cent. We are going to reveal a hydrogen bomb that is going to devastate completely the reality of the situation,” he told reporters.
Previously, Gandhi had pointed to alleged irregularities in constituencies such as Mahadevpura and Aland, vowing to present more evidence in the coming weeks.
The BJP has not yet officially responded to the latest allegations.
