Karnataka Survey: 91% Trust Election Process, BJP Criticizes Congress

Karnataka Study Finds 91% Believe Elections Are Fair; BJP Targets Congress Amid Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Vote Theft’ Claims.

A Karnataka government survey has found that over 91% of respondents believe elections in India are conducted fairly and that Electronic Voting Machines deliver accurate results, providing the BJP with a new line of attack against the state’s ruling Congress. The study comes amid Rahul Gandhi’s “vote theft” campaign, in which Karnataka’s Kalaburagi division has been prominently mentioned.

“This survey is a slap on the face of the Congress,” senior BJP leader R Ashoka wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “While citizens show confidence, Congress shows doubt… This drama is driven by fear of the verdict, not concern for democracy.”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla echoed the criticism, calling Rahul Gandhi the “Leader of Propaganda,” and said allegations of vote manipulation have been contradicted by Gandhi’s own allies and leaders in Bihar and elsewhere.

The study, titled “Lok Sabha Elections 2024 – Evaluation of Endline Survey of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Citizens,” was conducted by the Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority. Researchers surveyed 5,100 respondents across 102 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru.

Findings showed strong voter confidence, particularly in Kalaburagi, where 84.67% agreed and 10.19% strongly agreed that elections were free and fair. Belagavi recorded 69.62% agreement and 19.24% strong agreement, while Mysuru showed 72.08% agreement and 15.08% strong agreement.

Rahul Gandhi had previously alleged that the Election Commission orchestrated mass deletion of Opposition supporters from voter lists before the 2023 Karnataka election, a claim first raised after Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge flagged potential vote-deletion attempts to the Chief Electoral Officer.

The survey results reinforce public trust in Karnataka’s electoral process and have given the BJP a platform to challenge Congress amid ongoing political debates.