Congress using Election Commission for political advantage: BJP leader

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday alleged that the Congress party was instrumentalising the Election Commission of India to advance its political interests. The BJP leader claimed that the opposition party's approach undermined the autonomy and integrity of the constitutional body responsible for conducting elections across the country.

Reddy's comments reflect escalating political friction between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress over electoral processes and governance. The minister did not provide specific instances to support his allegations but suggested a broader pattern of what he characterized as misuse of electoral institutions for factional advantage.

The Election Commission of India has maintained its independent status in managing electoral processes, though it has occasionally faced criticism from various political quarters regarding its functioning and decision-making. Both ruling and opposition parties have periodically questioned the commission's actions, depending on circumstances.

The Congress party has not immediately responded to Reddy's allegations. Such confrontations between political parties over the Election Commission's role have become increasingly common in India's political discourse, with different stakeholders questioning the institution's neutrality based on specific electoral decisions.