BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi did not mince words. "He is lying," Trivedi told reporters, directly challenging the narrative Rahul Gandhi spun after meeting President Droupadi Murmu on Friday. The BJP accused the Leader of the Opposition of engaging in "malicious politics" by claiming the President accepted the INDIA bloc's "vote chori" memorandum without rebuttal.
Gandhi had told the press that he was "shocked and stunned" when Murmu didn't deny the election theft charge, suggesting she had implicitly agreed with the opposition's concerns. Trivedi, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, called this account "unfortunate and bizarre." He pointed to the "body language and facial expressions" of the INDIA bloc leaders present, arguing that their demeanor suggested Gandhi's version of events was fabricated.
The BJP leader demanded evidence for Gandhi's claims. "What evidence do you have for what you have said?" Trivedi asked. He alleged that the opposition is attempting to create confusion about constitutional institutions through baseless statements. Trivedi argued that the framers of the Constitution could not have imagined the Leader of the Opposition displaying what he termed "undignified and shameless conduct."
The dispute centers on a memorandum submitted by the INDIA bloc delegation during the Friday evening meeting. While Gandhi framed the President's silence as an admission, the BJP insists the meeting was routine and that Gandhi is twisting the interaction for political mileage. The BJP warned that the opposition is turning constitutional offices into targets of controversy.
Political analysts expect this exchange to deepen the rift between the ruling party and the opposition ahead of upcoming legislative sessions. The BJP is likely to continue pressing the "lie" angle in parliamentary debates, while the INDIA bloc is expected to defend Gandhi's account, potentially escalating the rhetoric over the integrity of the electoral process.