Amid Vote Chori Dispute, MP Sanjay Raut Takes A Dig On Ex Election Commission Over Shiv Sena Dispute

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday questioned the whereabouts of former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar. His remarks came amid Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of ‘vote chori’ against the Election Commission. Raut accused Kumar of playing a major role in the Sena vs Sena dispute of 2023 by recognising Eknath Shinde’s faction as the real Shiv Sena. 

He alleged that Kumar’s decisions promoted defections and weakened his party. Raut also linked Kumar’s actions to BJP’s success in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, claiming he helped the party and its allies win.

Raut Targets Election Commission Over Alleged Bias

In a post on X, Raut said, “The 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections were won by BJP and their allies with significant help from this gentleman! By giving the Shiv Sena party and symbol to the traitor faction, he encouraged defections! Rahul Gandhi has now exposed the Election Commission’s biases! But where is this shadowy figure now?

Can anyone tell? Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar is already missing, so where exactly is this gentleman now?” Raut’s remarks added fuel to the ongoing debate over transparency and credibility of the Election Commission.

Letter to Amit Shah on Dhankhar’s Absence

Sanjay Raut also raised questions about former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s absence from the public and political space. He wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking for clarity on Dhankhar’s health and safety. In the letter, Raut said, “What exactly has happened to our vice president? Where is he? How is his health? Is he safe? The nation deserves to know the truth about these questions.” Raut stated that rumours were spreading in Delhi that Dhankhar had been confined to his residence. He warned that some Rajya Sabha colleagues were considering filing a habeas corpus plea in court.

In his letter, Raut further explained that the Monsoon Parliament Session began on July 21 with Dhankhar in the chair. However, since then, there has been no public information about him. “On July 21, the Parliament session commenced at 11 am. Rajya Sabha chairman and vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar initiated the proceedings. What is even more shocking and disturbing is the fact that from July 21 till today, there has been no information about the whereabouts of our vice president. What is his current location? How is his health? There is no clarity on these matters,” Raut wrote, calling the issue alarming.

Rahul Gandhi Intensifies Campaign Against EC

Rahul Gandhi has continued his sharp attack on the Election Commission, accusing it of malpractice to benefit the BJP in elections. On August 7, Rahul addressed a press conference where he presented documents and visuals to support his allegations of ‘vote chori’. Leaders from the INDIA bloc also joined him in a protest march from Parliament to the Election Commission headquarters in Delhi. They demanded accountability from the poll body and greater transparency in the election process. Rahul declared that his campaign against the EC would continue until people got clear answers about the conduct of elections.

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