‘Firm consensus’: CJP’s Dipke urges opposition to stop fighting ‘rigged’ elections amid CEC row | Today’s news
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday called on opposition parties to stop contesting elections if they believe the electoral process is rigged, saying their participation lends legitimacy to what he claimed was a flawed system.
Dipke likened the opposition’s continued participation in the election to playing a “fixed match” and suggested that even in such a contest every catch would not be deliberately missed and the game could go into the finals to create the appearance of a real contest.
He also suggested that opposition parties could be allowed occasional victories – “crumbs” – to maintain participation and give voters the impression that it was a genuine electoral contest.
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Abhijeet Dipke argues that participating in so-called “rigged” elections legitimizes a flawed electoral process and creates an illusion of fairness and democracy.
Dipke compares opposition participation in elections to playing a “fixed match”, suggesting that it undermines the credibility of the democratic process.
Gyanesh Kumar is accused of overseeing voter roll revisions that allegedly erased millions of votes, raising concerns about fairness and potential manipulation of election results.
The process of impeachment of the Chief Election Commissioner involves a motion in Parliament that requires a two-thirds majority in both houses based on proven misconduct or incompetence.
Rahul Gandhi describes “vote chori” as a direct attack on the Constitution, saying it undermines the basic democratic process where votes must be protected to ensure legitimate governance.
“By continuing to participate in rigged elections, you legitimize those elections and help maintain the illusion that they are free and fair,” Dipke said in a post on X.
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His remarks came a day after the CJP demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and threatened a nationwide agitation if he did not step down within 48 hours.
Dipke questioned why the opposition parties were going ahead with the election despite repeatedly claiming that the election irregularities were irregularities.
“Maybe you are still contesting because you fear that if you don’t, you will cease to exist. But what kind of existence are you trying to protect when votes are being stolen, your MLAs and MPs are poachers and your parties are being divided?” he said.
He also argued that opposition parties should maintain a consistent stance on allegations of election rigging rather than raising the issue selectively depending on the state or political party involved.
“You can’t keep saying the game is rigged while you’re playing it,” Dipke said.
He called on opposition parties to prioritize what he described as the interests of the nation and democracy over their political survival.
“Take a stand and stop participating in rigged elections,” Dipke said.
Read also | Opposition parties plan impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar: Cong
Rahul Gandhi seeks CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on friday separately called for Kumar’s resignation while reiterating his “choice-sick” allegations.
Gandhi said he had presented evidence and claimed there was enough information to establish that Indian elections, including the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, had been rigged.
He also said that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi “did the wise thing” by raising objections and urged the CEC to “think seriously and become an approver”.
Dipke’s remarks come amid fresh controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission following an investigation by the Indian Express.
The report said Sandhu and Joshi formally challenged decisions and orders at least 14 times over a 10-month period, which they claimed were made without their knowledge.
The Electoral Commission rejected proposals for an institutional rift, saying that differences of opinion, written notes and internal controls are part of decision-making within a multi-member constitutional body.
