- BJP slams Rahul Gandhi’s EC stance, citing Congress’s history.
- Minister Goyal highlighted former CECs’ political affiliations and rewards.
- He also cited Kerala officials’ swift political appointments post-service.
The BJP has hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his aggressive stance against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, with Union Minister Piyush Goyal accusing the Congress of questioning the Election Commission’s impartiality while ignoring its own record.
The BJP’s response comes as INDIA bloc leaders plan another protest against Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday. Rahul Gandhi has invited alliance leaders for tea to discuss their strategy.
Piyush Goyal Cites TN Seshan’s Congress Ticket
Recalling the Congress’s past dealings with former Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan, Goyal said the party had praised his honesty but later gave him an opportunity to contest an election against BJP leader LK Advani on a Congress ticket.
“The Congress party used to praise the honesty of Chief Election Commissioner TN Seshan. But in 1999, he was given the opportunity to contest against Advani ji on a Congress ticket. Wasn’t this meant to reward him?”
Goyal Questions MS Gill’s Padma Vibhushan
Goyal also cited former Chief Election Commissioner MS Gill, who held the post from 1996 to 2001. He questioned the decision to confer the Padma Vibhushan on Gill in 2000 and referred to his subsequent political career in the Congress.
“MS Gill was the Chief Election Commissioner from 1996 to 2001. In 2000, the sitting Chief Election Commissioner was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. Wasn’t this a reward for his sycophancy and exploits? Three years after retirement, he joined the Congress party, entered the Rajya Sabha in 2004, and was made a minister in the Union Cabinet in 2008. What more proof do you need of the low level to which the Congress party had lowered the office of the Election Commission and misused its officials?”
Kerala Election Officials Also Cited In BJP’s Attack
The Union Minister also referred to former Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Tikaram Meena and Ratan U Kelkar, who served as the state’s Chief Electoral Officer in May 2026.
Goyal said Meena was included in the Congress’s Rajasthan manifesto team a year after serving as Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer. He also questioned Kelkar’s appointment as Chief Secretary by Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan immediately after the elections.
“Tikaram Meena was the Chief Election Officer of Kerala. A year later, he was included in the Congress’s Rajasthan manifesto team. In May 2026, Ratan U Kelkar was the Chief Election Officer of Kerala. Immediately after the elections, the current Chief Minister, VD Satheesan, appointed him his Chief Secretary. Isn’t this a political ploy: ‘Help us in the elections and we’ll appoint you to the post?”
Goyal used these examples to accuse the Congress of politicising the Election Commission and questioned the party’s criticism of the poll body’s impartiality.
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