BJP Accuses Sonia Gandhi of Being on Voter List Before Gaining Indian Citizenship

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), under fire for alleged voter fraud in recent months, has launched a counterattack by reviving a decades-old controversy.

Party leaders have accused Sonia Gandhi of being illegally listed as a voter before she became an Indian citizen.

On Wednesday, former Union Minister Anurag Thakur alleged that the Congress leader, born Sonia Maino in Italy in 1946, was registered on the electoral rolls between 1980 and 1982, a year before officially acquiring Indian citizenship.

Amit Malviya’s Claims

Echoing Thakur, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared on social media what he described as “a photocopy of the extract from electoral rolls of 1980, indicating Sonia Gandhi was a voter when she did not yet acquire the citizenship of Bharat.”

“If this isn’t blatant electoral malpractice, what is?” he asked. Malviya claimed the entry was added when the Gandhi family resided at 1, Safdarjung Road, the official home of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to him, the New Delhi parliamentary constituency’s rolls were revised ahead of the 1980 Lok Sabha polls, during which Sonia Gandhi’s name was included at serial number 388 in polling station 145.

“This entry was a clear violation of the law, which requires a person to be an Indian citizen to be registered as a voter,” Malviya alleged.

He further claimed that after public outcry, her name was removed in 1982, only to be re-added in 1983. Malviya argued this inclusion was also fraudulent since Sonia became an Indian citizen in April that year, whereas the qualifying date for electoral rolls was January 1.

BJP Targets Rahul Gandhi Over Voter Fraud

Alongside these allegations, Thakur also targeted Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of spreading false numbers regarding alleged voter fraud in Karnataka and Maharashtra last year.

He declared the Congress leader was “lying (and) presenting incorrect numbers.”

The BJP leader accused Congress of benefiting from “ghuspaithi (infiltrator) voters” and claimed opposition parties won seats through duplicate and manipulated entries.

He also questioned Congress’ opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted in Bihar, saying the party was pursuing appeasement politics.

Thakur cited alleged irregularities in seats such as Raebareli, represented by Rahul Gandhi, as well as Diamond Harbour, held by TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee, and Kannauj, represented by SP’s Akhilesh Yadav.

Congress’ Response

The Congress dismissed these allegations. Senior leader Tariq Anwar told NDTV that Sonia Gandhi never asked for her name to be added to the electoral rolls. He argued that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission (EC).

“See… the Election Commission is responsible. Sonia Gandhi did not say ‘my name should be included in the voter registration list’. In the end it was the Election Commission that included her,” he said.

Pressed about whether the central government, led by Congress at the time, could have influenced the EC, Anwar responded, “The Election Commission is an independent organisation… and it takes its own decisions.” He added, “We are saying that today it has become a part of the BJP… it should come out of that and work independently.”

Opposition’s Allegations Against BJP

These claims come amid Congress’ repeated accusations against the BJP and the EC of colluding in large-scale voter fraud.

Rahul Gandhi recently alleged that in Karnataka’s Mahadevapura, 80 people from one one-room house were listed as voters, contributing to over 1.02 lakh fraudulent entries.

The Congress also pointed to Maharashtra, where it claims over one crore voters appeared on the rolls after the BJP’s alliance lost the Lok Sabha polls, but before it won the Assembly election later that year.

The ongoing Special Intensive Revision in Bihar has become another flashpoint. The opposition warns it could disenfranchise lakhs of voters, while the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.

Election Commission’s Rebuttal

The EC has firmly rejected these charges, maintaining that its procedures are transparent and designed to ensure free and fair elections. It has demanded Rahul Gandhi present his claims under oath, accusing the Congress of trying to “mislead the Supreme Court” in past petitions.

The BJP, meanwhile, has criticised Rahul Gandhi for “maligning a constitutional body.” Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress of preparing excuses for an impending loss in Bihar.

“You keep losing election after election… and now you are looking for an excuse for defeat even before this election,” he said.

A Renewed Flashpoint in Indian Politics

The revival of Sonia Gandhi’s alleged voter roll controversy highlights the bitter political battle between the BJP and Congress. While the opposition insists the BJP is engaged in electoral malpractice, the ruling party is countering with historical charges of irregularities involving the Gandhis.

As the Bihar election nears, these mutual accusations are likely to intensify, keeping the spotlight firmly on voter lists, electoral credibility, and the role of the Election Commission.