Devendra Fadnavis Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Stolen Election Claims

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, August 7, 2025, firmly rejected Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's significant allegations that the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections were "stolen". Addressing reporters near Panaji, Fadnavis delivered a biting retort, suggesting Gandhi should "get his brain checked".

Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader, emphatically stated, "I think the chip from Rahul Gandhi's brain has been stolen". He elaborated further, suggesting, "Either his brain has been stolen or a chip in his brain is missing. That is why he is making such statements often". These sharp remarks came after Gandhi, speaking at AICC headquarters in New Delhi earlier on Thursday, reiterated his party's suspicion that the Maharashtra results confirmed "stolen" elections.

Rahul Gandhi specifically alleged that the Election Commission (EC) "colluded with BJP to 'steal' elections in Maharashtra" by withholding machine-readable voter lists, which he claimed convinced them of foul play. He also alluded to similar concerns regarding Lok Sabha polls.

The 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections saw the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance achieve a "stunning victory," securing 230 out of 288 available seats. The BJP alone emerged as the dominant force, bagging 132 seats. Its key allies, Shiv Sena and the NCP, also performed strongly, winning 57 and 41 seats respectively. Conversely, the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a considerable setback, with the Congress securing only 16 seats.