Thiruvananthapuram mayor accuses Congress of undermining trust in elections

Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V.V. Rajesh has accused the Congress of attempting to undermine public confidence in India’s electoral system through its campaign against the Election Commission of India. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the BJP leader said political parties had the right to criticise the commission but should not cast doubt on the entire electoral process.

He alleged that the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, was conducting a misinformation campaign in India and abroad. Rajesh also sought responses from Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala over reported comments by senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal calling for scrutiny of major Election Commission decisions made over the past decade.

The mayor asked whether such scrutiny would imply questioning the legitimacy of governments elected during that period, including the Congress-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala. His comments were reported by The Hindu; the supplied material does not include a response from the Congress leaders named. Rajesh also criticised what he described as differing Congress positions on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

He cited comments attributed to Chennithala and Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan suggesting that the revision had benefited the UDF in Kerala. He referred to Chennithala’s 2021 approach to the Kerala High Court over alleged multiple and bogus entries in electoral rolls before the Assembly election. Rajesh argued that the Congress’s criticism of the Election Commission was inconsistent because it had won elections conducted by the same constitutional body in states including Karnataka and Telangana.

The mayor contrasted the Congress’s approach with the BJP’s efforts to expand its organisation in states and local bodies where it had historically lacked power. He cited the BJP’s victory at the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and said parties should act as constructive opponents after setbacks rather than weaken confidence in democratic institutions.