Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 29 (ANI): Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Imran Masood on Thursday launched a sharp counter-offensive against the ruling dispensation, questioning the leadership over electoral setbacks in prime constituencies, alleged voter list manipulations, and political dynamics governing legislative council elections.
Directing his critique towards the Prime Minister's electoral standing and internal party friction, Masood raised questions about high-profile losses and administrative control.
“Well, the Prime Minister lost inside his own constituency. Will they make an emoji on that or not? Or did Yogi ji cause that defeat? The Prime Minister should answer this as well, how did they suffer such a humiliating defeat in his own backyard? Lal Bihari Yadav completely dismantled them there. Shouldn't they make an emoji on that too? Besides, these are not elections held on a mass scale; they belong to specific categories with different dynamics and outcomes. And as for the Prime Minister talking about ballots, that is simply his fear speaking,” Masood told ANI.
Accusing the administration of electoral malpractice and institutional control, Masood said, “They manipulate voter lists and think they can manage it, because vote theft takes new forms every day, sometimes through machines, sometimes via voter rolls, sometimes through other means. The Prime Minister keeps finding new methods, but Rahul Gandhi has caught on to them. And out of fear of Rahul Gandhi, they are now so rattled that they don't know what to do.”
Continuing his critique of category-specific polls, Masood argued that controlled outcomes fail to capture broader public sentiment
He said, “In MLC elections, opening an account or not doesn't mean much when you manipulate the votes entirely. When you don't leave any room for fair voting, that is your condition.”
Challenging denials regarding electoral transparency and systemic flaws, Masood invoked past controversies and added, “You say allegations used to be made"? The allegations stand true today. Prime Minister ji, didn't we lay out the Pilibhit model right in front of you? The reality is that these people are shameless. They will commit wrongs, defend them, and keep lying. They follow the Hitler doctrine repeat a lie a thousand times until it seems true. It is lie upon lie, continuously.”
Masood maintained that category polls bear little relevance to national trends and said, “I don't give it any undue significance. MLC elections do not reflect the popular mandate of the people. You cannot deduce the country's mood from MLC polls. The mood of the country is firmly against them.”
Highlighting internal tensions within the party hierarchy and contrasting regional outcomes, Masood pointed to alleged contradictions in local tallies
He said, “The Prime Minister's party lost terribly in his own constituency. Did Yogi ji cause that defeat? Has the friction between Delhi and Lucknow escalated that much? Meanwhile, they grabbed the Gorakhpur seat by force. If they could force a win there, they could have done the same in the PM's constituency. The rift between them is out in the open. They should settle their internal feuds first before lecturing others.”
Masood further condemned administrative measures intended to curb political mobilisation and demonstrations
“They have created widespread obstruction to thwart the rally. They are even preparing to barricade Delhi, but people will still turn up. They will definitely come,” MP Masood said.
Of the 11 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council for which elections were held, comprising five Graduates' and six Teachers' constituencies, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won six seats, while the SP secured five seats, including Varanasi and Agra.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also accused the BJP of electoral malpractices and administrative manipulation in key constituencies such as Gorakhpur and Banaras (Varanasi). He claimed the election outcomes marked the beginning of the BJP’s political decline in the state. (ANI)
"Will they make an emoji on that too?": Imran Masood questions PM's constituency defeat; slams BJP over electoral integrity
