BJP tweaking Constitution: Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 28 2025: Congress' "Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod" rally was held at the City Convention Centre, Imphal today.

CLP leader Okram Ibobi, MPCC president MLA K Meghachandra, AICC CWC member Gaikhangam, former MP T Meinya, former Minister O Joy, Congress' Manipur in-charge Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka and other leaders including Christopher Tilak (AICC secretary Manipur in-charge) attended the rally.

At the rally, former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said the country under the BJP is losing its democratic values.

The BJP is tinkering with the Constitution and undermining its values.

The saffron party with the help of the Election Commission has stolen votes to win elections, Ibobi claimed.

The Congress under Rahul Gandhi has investigated and found that huge numbers of votes were stolen by the BJP to win the 2024 Parliamentary elections, Ibobi said.

Notably, in early August, Rahul Gandhi, citing some Lok Sabha Constituencies, claimed that an analysis of the voter data had shown that elections were rigged by the Election Commission at the behest of the BJP to help the party "steal" votes and win seats in the 2024 elections.

Ibobi said, the Election Commission of India is a Constitutional body.

Earlier, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs) were appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member Selection Committee which consisted of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India However, under the BJP-led Government, the Chief Justice of India has now been replaced as a member of the committee by a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister, he said.

The selection committee now therefore consists of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister.

Under this arrangement, the Leader of the Opposition has no real power of vote for the Union Cabinet Minister is hand-picked by the Prime Minister.

The PM is therefore able to choose his choice of candidate as the CEC, Ibobi said.

The Congress' "Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod" is not just a rally, but a campaign to save Constitutional bodies.

Saving the Election Commission is saving the Constitution, Ibobi said.

The former Chief Minister further asserted that it was very fortunate for the people that the BJP didn't get to enjoy absolute majority in the 2024 elections.

Had the BJP enjoyed absolute majority, the people and the country would have suffered more, he said.

He also asserted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the Election Commission in Bihar before the 2025 election is an attempt to add or secure more votes for the BJP.

Congress' Manipur in-charge Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka also accused the BJP of stealing around 1,02,500 votes with the help of the Election Commission in the 2024 elections.

During analysis of the votes, the Congress found 33,000 newly enrolled voters in a Constituency.

Surprisingly the majority of these were found to be persons aged between 70-90.One was found to be 125 years old, Sankar claimed.

Manipur is suffering under the BJP and the President's Rule.

Changes will come to the country and Manipur soon.

The Congress will return to power in the Centre and the State.

There will be Congress Government in Manipur after the 2027 elections, and peace will be restored in the State, Sankar said.

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