Launching a scathing attack on the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his allegations of vote theft, Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday (October 22, 2026) claimed that the Congress will not form a government in the Centre in the next 30 years. Hitting back, the Congress said the BJP was responding in desperation, adding that vote theft is a “proven reality”.
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“Rahul ji, the entire country understands you and your friends, by creating a hue and cry over vote chori [theft], you want to save the votes of infiltrators,” Mr. Shah said at an event in Delhi.
The Home Minister said that when the Congress and its allies lose elections, they sometimes make excuses about electronic voting machines (EVMs), and sometimes about alleged vote theft.
‘Negative politics’
“When I say that the BJP’s government will remain for 30 years, they tell the people that ‘vote chori is happening, otherwise how would Amit Shah know this’. Amit Shah was born here, lives here, and remains among the people of the country, and does not have to go abroad every six months. The kind of negative politics you are doing, based on this, I can say that for the next 30 years, your government will not come to power,” the Home Minister said.
“When you [Rahul Gandhi] land in Delhi, remember my words: your number is not going to come in the next 30 years,” he added.
The Home Minister said that a different game was currently being played in Delhi because BJP governments are continuously being elected in States across the country. “This is troubling the opponents, which is why they are making the excuse of vote chori. They are claiming that the BJP does not come to power through popular votes, but by stealing votes,” he said.
‘Double standards’
Mr. Shah noted that the recent Kerala Assembly election was held with the same voter list, Election Commission, and EVMs; after winning the election, the Opposition took the oath.
“When the opposition won in Telangana, the Election Commission was also good and the voter list was good too. When they won in Himachal, the Election Commission and voter list were good then as well... These double standards will not work, Rahul ji. People have now understood you,” he said.
The Home Minister said that the Opposition could not negate the country’s mandate through such political tactics and mobocracy. If one wants to win elections, he said, one should go among the people to understand their sufferings and pains; nothing is achieved through dharnas and protests. “Wherever you have been elected, bring schemes and do work to remove the people’s sorrows, pains, sufferings, and disorder; otherwise, even the remaining existence will come to an end,” Mr. Shah said.
‘Nation is outraged’
Reacting to the allegations, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh claimed in a post on X that “Vote Chori is a proven reality”.
“According to the ECI’s own data, over 10 crore Indians face the risk of losing their Constitutional right to vote. The ECI illegally altered Form 6 to create barriers for new voters. It has facilitated the widespread abuse of Form 7 for targeted deletions. The CEC has used the ECINET to centralise control of the electoral roll, overriding all legal safeguards,” he said.
The nation is “outraged”, Mr. Ramesh said, adding that widespread anger is fuelling continued protests despite repression.
“The PM’s ecosystem, in its desperation and nervousness, is now trying to divert and distract, doing what is in its very DNA — spread lies. It will not succeed. The PM-HM duo has been brutally exposed and the people will hold them accountable,” he said.
Punjab drug trade impact
The Home Minister also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party. Given the flourishing of the drug trade in Punjab under the AAP government, the people of the State have now decided to vote the BJP-led NDA to power there, he said.
“Kejriwal ji, listen carefully: the politics of excuses does not last long. Results have to be delivered. He lost Delhi and has now set up camp in Punjab and is not even allowing the Chief Minister there to work,” Mr. Shah said, vowing to defeat AAP in the upcoming Assembly election and put an end to the drug trade in Punjab by 2029.