TMC leader Mahua Moitra sparked controversy on Wednesday by sharing an old photo of the arrest of Bangladesh’s former election commissioner, suggesting it was a warning of "things to come". This comment was seen as a reference to allegations made by the INDIA bloc that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is colluding with the ruling BJP to manipulate elections.

The BJP responded sharply, with national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticizing Moitra for her remarks. He stated, "Mahua Moitra is a Member of Parliament of India, but she speaks like an enemy of the country. The kind of tweet she has posted now— is she trying to say that India’s democracy is like that of Bangladesh?" He also recalled previous comments from RJD leaders and Rahul Gandhi that suggested dire consequences if elections were lost.

In a related development, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about the ECI's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls during a meeting with party officials from 12 states and Union Territories. He emphasized the need for the Congress to respond to the SIR politically, organizationally, and legally. Sources indicated that Gandhi questioned the ECI's role in maintaining accurate voter rolls, suggesting that the SIR could lead to the exclusion of legitimate voters.

Other Congress leaders echoed these concerns, labeling the SIR a "sinister attempt to destroy democracy" and reviving accusations of "vote chori". Despite the opposition's resistance, the ECI reported that it has distributed 50.25 crore enumeration forms, covering 98.54 percent of the eligible 50.97 crore voters across the 12 states and UTs involved in the first phase of the SIR, which includes states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, set for elections in 2026.

The second phase of the SIR commenced on November 4 and will continue until December 4. Rahul Gandhi has also expressed skepticism about recent electoral results, particularly in Bihar, labeling them "surprising" and indicating that the Congress and the INDIA bloc would closely examine the outcomes, which they allege reflect "vote chori on a gigantic scale, masterminded by the prime minister, the home minister, the EC."