HYDERABAD: Telangana BJP State President N Ramchander Rao defended the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, stating that the exercise is exposing millions of illegal infiltrators registered on the electoral list.
Speaking at a meeting of state office-bearers at the BJP state office, on October 5, Rao addressed allegations regarding the removal of voters’ names, placing the blame on previous Congress regimes. He stated that during past Congress rule, illegal infiltrators entered Bharat, obtained ration cards through backdoors, and registered on the voter rolls.
Rao clarified that while the Indian Constitution guarantees voting rights to every Indian citizen above 18 years of age regardless of religion, illegal foreigners from countries like Bangladesh and Myanmar have no right to vote.
Citing local figures, Rao claimed that around 30,000 Rohingyas and illegal voters were identified in Hyderabad’s Maheshwaram assembly constituency alone through the ongoing revision process.
He criticised Congress and the opposition INDI alliance for spreading false propaganda against the voter list cleanup. According to the BJP state chief, opposition leaders are raising concerns out of fear of losing elections as these illegal entries are removed from the electoral rolls. He added that verifying and updating records for citizens who have migrated for work or other reasons is a standard, long-standing process.
The broader political landscape surrounding the Special Intensive Revision has seen high-voltage rhetoric, but verified timelines, legal rulings, and institutional records present a different picture of the exercise:
Chronological Timeline: Allegations that the SIR drive was conducted to alter the outcomes of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are contradicted by dates. The general election took place in mid-2024, whereas the nationwide revision drive began in June 2025. An exercise initiated a year after an election cannot logically impact its results.
Administrative Context: Electoral roll revisions are a routine part of the country’s democratic governance, with similar drives previously conducted in 1965, 1983, 1995, and 2002. Because more than two decades had passed since the last nationwide update-a period marked by significant population shifts and the COVID-19 pandemic-the current cleanup was long overdue to remove duplicate entries, deceased voters, and relocated residents.
Judicial Safeguards: The Supreme Court of India upheld the Election Commission’s authority to conduct the revision while implementing strict procedural safeguards to ensure eligible citizens can correct errors or appeal exclusions.
Institutional Scrutiny: Fact-checks on claims targeting specific election officials show that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar assumed office in February 2025-months after the 2024 assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra were completed. Furthermore, his appointment was made through a statutory panel that included the Leader of the Opposition.
While internal deliberations among Election Commissioners occurred during the process, final directives were issued unanimously by the full commission. As political disputes over electoral rolls continue across party lines, institutional frameworks demonstrate that maintaining election integrity relies on verifiable records and due process over political rhetoric.
Continuing his attack on the state government, Rao stated that Congress cannot digest an ordinary chaiwala becoming the Prime Minister of the country.
Referring to comments by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge questioning recent electoral outcomes, Rao called the statements disgraceful. He alleged that the Congress leadership holds a narrow mindset believing the prime ministership should belong exclusively to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
The state BJP chief challenged Congress to act on its claims if it truly believes the elections and voting systems are invalid. He stated that Congress should first demand the resignations of Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy-whom he accused of winning through irregular means-as well as the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Himachal Pradesh.
Condemning what he called double standards, the BJP state chief criticised Congress for celebrating the Election Commission and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) when winning elections, while accusing them of bias whenever losing.
Rao also criticised the Congress administration for failing to fulfil its election promises-including its flagship ‘6 Guarantees’- as it nears three years in power.
Rao highlighted key grievances across various sectors, citing unpaid student fee reimbursements, non-implementation of the Rythu Bharosa scheme, delayed pensions for retired employees, and stalled recruitment drive for teachers and employee promotions. He also accused the state government of causing injustice to farmers by failing to implement the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in Telangana.
Directing criticism at both present and past state leadership, Rao claimed that while former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s family enriched itself during a decade of BRS rule, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and his associates are now engaging in financial wrongdoing. He alleged that Congress leaders are focused on collecting commissions and contracts rather than addressing public grievances, asserting that the public views the BJP as the only viable alternative.
Addressing religious issues, Rao accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of engaging in vote-bank politics that disrespect Hindu traditions and deities. He cited controversial statements regarding local deities and pointed to a series of incidents, including recent vandalism at the Secunderabad Muthyalamma temple as well as Santoshi Mata temples in Malkajgiri and Dilsukhnagar. Rao questioned the routine police explanations attributing these attacks to “mentally unstable” individuals, alleging political patronage from the Congress, BRS, and AIMIM.
Concluding his address, Rao outlined upcoming party activities under the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ initiative. He announced that ‘Seva Jyoti Yatra’ and ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha’ events will take place across all district headquarters on October 7. Party workers and leaders have been instructed to gather by 9:00am, ahead of a virtual address scheduled for 10:00am by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Nitin Nabin regarding national development and welfare schemes.
The meeting was attended by key state leaders, including BJP State General Secretaries Dr. N. Gautam Rao, Veerender Goud, and Vemula Ashok, General Secretary Madhukar, Joint General Secretary Dasharath, and Karnataka Co-Incharge Dr. Kasam Venkateshwarlu, along with district presidents and party office-bearers.
