The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, citing a recent survey by the Karnataka government that found overwhelming public trust in the electoral process and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The BJP's reaction came in response to Gandhi's persistent "vote chori" (vote theft) campaign.
BJP's Reality Check for Rahul Gandhi
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla referenced the survey findings to assert that the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha receives a "reality check" every time he questions EVMs or the Election Commission of India following an electoral defeat. "Rahul Gandhi blames the EVMs and the Election Commission after losing the election," Poonawalla stated. He emphasized that the Karnataka survey revealed people consider EVMs safe and trustworthy, suggesting Gandhi's allegations are out of sync with public opinion.
Key Findings of the Karnataka Endline Survey
The survey, titled "Lok Sabha Elections 2024 – Evaluation of Endline Survey of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Citizens," was conducted by a Karnataka government body across all four administrative divisions. It involved 5,100 respondents from 102 assembly constituencies, covering rural, urban, and reserved segments in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru divisions.
The results present a strong endorsement of the electoral system:
- 91.31% of respondents agreed that elections in India are conducted freely and fairly, with only 6.76% expressing neutral views.
- Confidence was highest in the Kalaburagi division (84.67% agree, 10.19% strongly agree) and Belagavi division (69.62% agree, 19.24% strongly agree).
- The Bengaluru division showed the lowest level of strong agreement (7.17%), though 67.11% still agreed. This division also had the highest rate of neutral opinions (12.50%) and disagreement (13.23% combined).
Public Trust in EVMs Across Karnataka
The survey also measured trust in Electronic Voting Machines, a frequent target of opposition criticism.
Overall, 83.61% of respondents expressed trust in EVMs (69.39% agreed, 14.22% strongly agreed) that they deliver accurate results.
- Kalaburagi division showed the highest trust: 83.24% agreed, 11.24% strongly agreed.
- Mysuru division followed with 70.67% agreeing and 17.92% strongly agreeing.
- In Bengaluru division, 63.67% agreed and 9.28% strongly agreed, marking the lowest strong agreement.
Contradiction Within Karnataka Government's Stance
The survey's findings create a notable contradiction. They emerge at a time when the Congress-led Karnataka state government has proposed using ballot papers for all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing alleged erosion of public confidence in EVMs. The state-sponsored survey, however, indicates robust public trust in the very machines the government wishes to replace.
Furthermore, the report highlighted a significant public concern: the influence of money in elections. Nearly 50% of respondents (44.90% agreed, 4.65% strongly agreed) felt that the role of money power in elections is increasing.
The BJP has seized upon this data to counter the narrative pushed by Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, framing the survey as an objective, state-backed validation of the integrity of India's electoral process.
