Sanjay Kumar’s Retraction Sparks Political Storm Over ‘Vote Chori’ Row

A controversy erupted in Indian politics after Sanjay Kumar, noted psephologist and co-director of Lokniti-CSDS, deleted a social media post that had earlier raised questions about voter roll discrepancies in Maharashtra. The post suggested an extraordinary increase in the number of voters in constituencies such as Nashik West and Hingna between the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. However, Kumar later admitted that his team had “misread” the data, apologizing publicly and withdrawing the claim.

His retraction has triggered a fierce exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, with both parties interpreting the episode as political ammunition in the ongoing debate over alleged “vote chori” (vote theft).

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged vote theft by manipulation of electoral rolls, a claim that was rebutted by CEC Gyanesh Kumar (right). Psephologist Sanjay Kumar (centre) shared data, which backed Rahul's claims | India Today

The Controversial Post and Retraction

On August 17, Kumar had shared figures suggesting voter count increases of over 47 percent in Nashik West and 43 percent in Hingna. The data immediately fueled the Congress’s long-standing accusations of electoral fraud. However, within days, Kumar deleted the post and issued a statement clarifying that his team had “misread the row” while comparing Lok Sabha and Assembly election data.

In his apology, Kumar expressed regret for unintentionally amplifying misinformation, stressing that he never intended to mislead the public. The retraction, however, set off a chain reaction across political circles, with the BJP quick to seize the opportunity.

BJP’s Counterattack

The BJP wasted no time in using the apology to attack the opposition. Party leaders argued that the incident exposed the fragility of Congress’s allegations and accused Rahul Gandhi of recklessly targeting institutions like the Election Commission.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya criticized the Congress for building its “vote chori” narrative on flawed data, branding the episode as yet another attempt to misguide the public. Similarly, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia challenged Rahul Gandhi directly, questioning his reluctance to substantiate claims with formal affidavits. For the ruling party, Kumar’s retraction became a powerful tool to project Congress as dishonest and irresponsible in its campaign.

Congress Stands Firm

While the BJP sharpened its attacks, the Congress downplayed the episode. Party spokespersons argued that Kumar’s data was just one of many strands of evidence supporting their concerns about voter roll manipulation. According to the Congress, independent investigations and on-ground reports continue to show irregularities, and the retraction does not change the broader reality of electoral malpractice.

Rahul Gandhi, who has made “vote chori” a central theme of his ongoing campaign, reiterated that the issue is about the integrity of India’s democracy. He argued that questioning electoral processes is not just about partisan gain but about protecting voters’ rights from systemic manipulation.

Larger Political Context

The controversy is not limited to Maharashtra. Allegations of voter roll tampering have surfaced in other states, with Rahul Gandhi repeatedly accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of collusion. In Bihar and Karnataka, too, questions have been raised about the accuracy of electoral rolls, leading to widespread debates about institutional neutrality.

The Election Commission, on its part, has dismissed the allegations as baseless, urging Gandhi to submit evidence formally or retract his statements. The standoff has highlighted growing mistrust between political parties and institutions tasked with safeguarding the democratic process.

Conclusion

The Sanjay Kumar episode reflects the volatility of India’s political discourse in an election season marked by accusations and counter-accusations. While Kumar’s retraction has weakened a key data point in Congress’s “vote chori” campaign, the opposition remains firm in its broader narrative of electoral malpractice. The BJP, on the other hand, has leveraged the incident to question the credibility of its rivals and reaffirm faith in the Election Commission.

At its core, the controversy underscores a larger struggle—whether India’s electoral system is robust enough to withstand political attacks, or whether mistrust between parties and institutions will continue to erode democratic confidence.

(Sources: India Today, NDTV, Times of India)