JD(U) slams Rahul Gandhi, says attacking EC will not win elections

JD(U) has attacked Rahul Gandhi for targeting the Election Commission over alleged vote chori. The party said Congress should introspect on its decline instead of blaming institutions.Newdelhi,Oct 12, 2026 16:26 ISTJD(U) on Monday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his attacks on the Election Commission, saying that "abusing" the poll panel is not enough to win elections. The remarks came as Gandhi stepped up his criticism of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with INDIA bloc leaders marching to the Supreme Court to file a petition against the poll panel chief over alleged "vote chori".Responding to the developments, Janata Dal (United) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said the opposition needed to understand the difference between freedom of expression, dissent and anarchy. He said electoral success comes from reaching out to people and working on the ground.Prasad told PTI, "In a democracy, there is a difference between freedom of expression, dissent and anarchy, and Rahul Gandhi and the entire opposition need to understand this. Abusing the Election Commission is not enough to win elections. You need to reach out to people and work on the ground."He said the Congress, which played a key role in securing India's independence, has been continuously shrinking over the last several decades. "Particularly under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the party has failed to cross the 100-seat mark in three consecutive Lok Sabha elections, despite repeated efforts. Its support base has shrunk in several states and only a handful of states remain. This calls for introspection and Rahul Gandhi needs to reflect on the reasons behind the party's decline," Prasad said. Prasad also claimed that the Congress was facing difficulties even in the states where it is in power. "Although the Congress has formed governments in some states during this period, discontent is emerging even in the few states where it is in power. Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka are examples of states where the party is facing difficulties. In states where it is in the opposition, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh are examples of places where intense infighting is underway," he told PTI.Alleging that internal discord had weakened the Congress, Prasad said, "The discord within the Congress and the damage caused by Rahul Gandhi's lack of foresight have weakened the party. To divert attention from these problems, they are abusing the Election Commission." In essence, the JD(U) linked Gandhi's criticism of the EC to what it described as the Congress's organisational troubles and electoral decline. - Ends