A startling admission by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has triggered a political storm, placing the Congress party on the defensive and providing fresh ammunition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Siddaramaiah, while recalling his 1991 Lok Sabha defeat from the Koppal constituency, openly stated that he was “defeated by fraud.”
The remark has quickly snowballed into a national-level controversy, raising uncomfortable questions about the Congress party’s historical record and its credibility in accusing others of vote rigging.
The controversy began after Congress leader and current Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, launched a fierce attack on the BJP and the Election Commission, alleging massive electoral fraud during the 2024 general elections. Rahul Gandhi has been leading rallies across the country, accusing the BJP of manipulating results and undermining democracy. However, Siddaramaiah’s own admission has turned into a self-goal for the Congress. At a felicitation ceremony for former Advocate General Prof. Ravi Varma Kumar at the Vidhana Soudha on August 28, Siddaramaiah said, “When I contested the Lok Sabha election for the second time in 1991, I was defeated by fraud.” He credited Ravi Varma Kumar for supporting him legally during that difficult time.
This remark, although seemingly casual, has now been seized upon by the BJP, which has aggressively asked whether Congress itself was guilty of manipulating votes in the 1991 election. Siddaramaiah had contested from Koppal as a Janata Dal candidate and lost to Congress leader Basavaraj Patil Anwari. With his fresh admission, critics argue that Siddaramaiah has indirectly acknowledged that the Congress engaged in electoral malpractice against him.
BJP questions Congress vote theft in 1991
The BJP was quick to weaponise Siddaramaiah’s comments. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya released a video clip of Siddaramaiah’s statement on social media, writing, “Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has openly admitted that he was a victim of election fraud by the Congress in the 1991 Koppal Lok Sabha elections. This is proof that Congress has long practiced vote theft. Ironically, Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP of what his own party has done for decades.”
The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah is in Bihar for a ‘Vote Adhikar’ rally—marching with the same Congress he once accused of electoral fraud in the 1991 Koppal Lok Sabha polls against Basavraj Patil Anwari.
Back then, he cried ‘vote… pic.twitter.com/6qC5G5SPgo
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 29, 2025
Former Minister R. Ashok echoed the same, saying, “Siddaramaiah himself has exposed the Congress party. He contested as a Janata Dal candidate in 1991, and now he admits that Congress defeated him through fraud. The truth has come out from the mouth of the Chief Minister himself.”
Another BJP leader taunted Rahul Gandhi directly, asking, “Will Rahul Gandhi now dismiss Siddaramaiah from the Congress party for exposing the fraud? Or is disciplinary action reserved only for Dalit leaders like Satish Jarkiholi, who faced humiliation earlier? Why is Rahul Gandhi silent when Siddaramaiah has spoken against Congress itself?”
Congress in damage control mode
For the Congress, Siddaramaiah’s comments could not have come at a worse time. The party is attempting to rally support through Rahul Gandhi’s Vote Adhikar Yatra and regain lost ground after its 2024 general election defeat. Rahul Gandhi has consistently alleged that the BJP manipulated EVMs and orchestrated widespread fraud. But Siddaramaiah’s remarks appear to undermine this narrative by casting Congress as an old practitioner of the very malpractice it now condemns.
Congress leaders attempted to downplay Siddaramaiah’s statement, saying his words were being misinterpreted and taken out of context. However, political observers believe the damage has already been done.
A turnaround moment
Siddaramaiah’s remarks have revived memories of the turbulent 1991 Lok Sabha elections, a period marked by political realignments and allegations of malpractice in multiple constituencies. His statement has now become a “turnabout moment,” with opponents asking: If Congress committed vote rigging in 1991, what moral authority does it have to accuse BJP today?
The irony is stark. Rahul Gandhi has been vocal in portraying BJP as the sole culprit of electoral fraud, but his own party’s Chief Minister has publicly admitted to being a victim of Congress-led malpractice.
The BJP is likely to keep this issue alive, weaving Siddaramaiah’s confession into its larger narrative that Congress has historically undermined democratic processes. The party is expected to use this controversy extensively in upcoming elections in Karnataka and beyond, branding Congress as a party that perfected vote manipulation long before it started accusing others.
With this controversy, Siddaramaiah and Rahul Gandhi find themselves cornered. What was meant to be an attack on BJP has boomeranged, placing Congress on the defensive and creating fresh doubts about its credibility.
For now, the key question echoing in political circles remains: Did Congress itself rig elections in 1991? And if yes, who are the real vote thieves?
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