BJP Leaders Challenge Rahul Gandhi at Shimla Rally
Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP leaders criticized the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh for alleging vote theft while defending the integrity of electronic voting machines.
The Bharatiya Janata Party held a rally in Shimla on November 1, 2026, where leaders targeted the Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh over allegations of electoral irregularities. BJP leaders Rajiv Bindal and Jai Ram Thakur accused the Indian National Congress of political double standards, questioning why the party challenges the electoral system and electronic voting machines (EVMs) only after suffering defeats, despite winning the state's Assembly elections.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma challenged Rahul Gandhi to pledge that he will not contest any election as long as Gyanesh Kumar serves as the Chief Election Commissioner if Gandhi truly believes the process is compromised. Sarma further argued that Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu should have resigned before protesting against EVMs, as he was elected through that same system.
Beyond electoral disputes, the BJP criticized the state government for neglecting public governance. Jai Ram Thakur cited shortages of doctors, teachers, and water supply, while Sarma accused the Gandhi family of protecting infiltrators and failing to deliver on employment promises. Sarma defended the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists as a necessary measure to remove duplicate and deceased entries and called for the nationwide implementation of the National Register of Citizens.
