Rahul Gandhi Should Prepare for Another Defeat in 2029, Stop Blaming SIR for BJP’s Popularity: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the opposition party’s recent electoral defeats, arguing that the Congress should examine the reasons behind its declining electoral performance instead of blaming the Election Commission (EC) or the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Citing the Congress’s setbacks in recent by-elections and the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections in Gujarat, Shah questioned the opposition’s claims regarding the electoral process and asserted that the BJP’s growing popularity could not simply be attributed to the SIR exercise.

“I also wish to ask Rahul ji: is this the result of an ‘SIR’? You dismiss the popularity of the BJP and Modi ji by attributing it to an ‘SIR’. You need to introspect,” Shah said.

Shah cites Congress’s electoral setbacks in Gujarat

Highlighting the Congress’s continued inability to secure electoral victories in Gujarat, Shah referred to the party’s defeat in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation elections held in the state capital. He argued that the Congress needed to undertake a serious assessment of its political position in the state.

“In a major state (Gujarat) where you (Rahul Gandhi) once held power, you have failed to win a single election in 41 years. This is a matter that demands serious introspection on their (Congress’) part,” the senior BJP leader added.

Home Minister highlights NDA’s bypoll victories

Shah also pointed to the BJP’s performance in recent by-elections in Assam and West Bengal, highlighting victories in the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency in Assam and the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in West Bengal. He further referred to the victory of the BJP’s ally, the All India NR Congress (AINRC), in the Thattanchavady Assembly by-election in Puducherry.

“Recently, byelections were held in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. I want to inform the people of the country today that the Congress party did not win a single seat. In Nagaon, the BJP candidate won by a margin of 1,42,000 votes, wresting the seat from the Congress. In Nandigram, the BJP candidate won with 76% of the vote, securing a massive lead of 1,22,000 votes. In Rejinagar, the BJP won by over 75,000 votes, snatching the seat from the Trinamool, while in Puducherry, the NDA candidate from ally AINRC won by 8,482 votes. The Congress secured only 22% of the votes,” Shah said.

Using these results to reinforce his criticism of the Congress, Shah maintained that the electoral outcomes reflected a political challenge for Rahul Gandhi’s party and questioned its approach towards explaining successive defeats.

Shah predicts another defeat for Congress in 2029

Looking ahead to the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, Shah expressed confidence that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would return with a substantial majority. He also predicted another major setback for the Congress, describing it as a potential fourth consecutive defeat in the general elections.

“I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that the people of this country have fully understood your strategy of shielding infiltrators under the guise of the SIR, and they will no longer fall for your ruses. I also wish to tell Shri Rahul and his associates to brace themselves for a crushing defeat in 2029. The NDA is set to secure a massive majority in the 2029 general elections, and the Congress is headed for yet another defeat, its fourth consecutive loss,” he remarked.

Opposition intensifies campaign against CEC over SIR

Shah’s remarks came shortly after leaders of the Congress-led INDIA bloc held a joint press conference at Rahul Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi. During the briefing, opposition leaders pledged to continue their campaign demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the invalidation of the SIR exercise, alleging irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.

The controversy has also drawn attention to reported differences within the Election Commission. The Indian Express reported last month that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over the preceding 10 months to decisions they alleged had been taken without their knowledge, including decisions concerning the SIR.

The report intensified scrutiny of Gyanesh Kumar, whom opposition parties have repeatedly accused of favouring the BJP and facilitating alleged “vote chori” since he became Chief Election Commissioner in 2025.

Political battle over SIR gathers momentum

The latest exchange highlights the widening political confrontation between the BJP and the opposition over electoral performance, the revision of voter lists and the functioning of the Election Commission. While Shah has urged the Congress to introspect over its defeats and projected a decisive NDA victory in 2029, opposition parties continue to demand accountability over alleged irregularities in the SIR process.

With both sides maintaining their positions, the dispute over electoral integrity and political accountability is likely to remain a prominent issue in the national political debate.