Congress leaders, scholars and residents claim votes were miscounted in Muslim areas, allege Election Commission failure; plan to move the court
UDGIR — Serious questions have been raised over the victory of the BJP-supported candidate in Udgir, a town in Maharashtra’s Latur District and with a large Muslim population, after the recent municipal elections. Local residents and Congress leaders allege that votes cast in favour of the Congress were wrongly recorded, leading to an unexpected defeat.
The defeated Congress candidate for municipal chairman, Dr Anjum Qadri, addressed a public meeting in Udgir city at the weekend where he openly alleged “vote theft”. He said the results did not reflect the will of the people and announced plans to approach the court.
“This defeat is not natural,” Dr Qadri told the gathering. “People from my own area are saying they voted for Congress, yet the BJP candidate received more votes. This raises a serious doubt which cannot be ignored.”
The meeting was also addressed by noted Islamic scholar Sheikh Subhan Ali, who made strong allegations against the ruling party. He claimed that the BJP was influencing the election process with the help of state machinery.
“The elections are being controlled through money power and pressure,” Sheikh Subhan Ali said. “People are being made to believe that the BJP is winning because of popularity, but the truth is far more worrying.”
He further alleged that complaints of vote theft had surfaced from several places, but authorities failed to act. “Instead of investigating, the Election Commission is trying to silence these voices,” he said.
Raising a key question, Sheikh Subhan Ali asked how the BJP candidate managed to secure more votes in Muslim-majority areas where, according to residents, support was clearly for Congress. “This is not possible without manipulation,” he said.
Local residents attending the meeting said they were ready to submit collective affidavits in court, stating that they had voted for Congress and not for the BJP. One resident said, “We know who we voted for. If the results say something else, then something is seriously wrong.”
Another local added, “This is not about one party. This is about our right to vote. If our votes are taken away, then elections have no meaning.”
Speakers at the meeting warned that this issue went beyond Udgir. They said it posed a threat to democracy itself. “If votes continue to be stolen, power will remain with a few parties and the public will lose its voice,” Sheikh Subhan Ali said.
Speakers also referred to earlier statements by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on concerns around EVMs and election transparency, saying those warnings were now appearing true.
The meeting ended with a clear demand for an impartial investigation into the Udgir election results. Leaders and residents called on authorities to act quickly, saying faith in democracy could not survive if such allegations were ignored.
As preparations begin to move the court, the controversy has added to growing unease among Indian Muslims, who say their political choices are being systematically sidelined despite their active participation in the democratic process.
