Shah rejects EC criticism, blames Congress electoral decline

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Election Commission, stating that the party's electoral defeats span decades rather than emerging from recent institutional failures. Shah highlighted Congress's inability to retain electoral strongholds in states including West Bengal, Tripura, and Gujarat, attributing these losses to the party's own political performance over an extended period. The Home Minister's remarks came in response to Gandhi's allegations against the poll body, suggesting institutional factors were responsible for the Opposition party's poor electoral showing. Shah's argument centred on the premise that Congress's decline predates any recent institutional changes, with the party losing ground in various state elections over successive electoral cycles. The exchange underscores the ongoing political tensions between the ruling BJP and the Congress party, with both sides trading accusations over electoral competitiveness and institutional integrity ahead of forthcoming state and national elections.