# BJP mocks Rahul Gandhi’s press conference on EC row

2026-09-24T14:11:39+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 4 independent outlets

The BJP on Thursday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after his press conference questioning the Election Commission's special intensive revision (SIR) process. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said Gandhi has 'zero political understanding' and alleged he relies on allies to win his own seats. BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari called the press conference a 'damp squib' and a 'Jhoot Ki Goonj' from a frustrated leader. Trivedi cited Congress's long electoral drought in states like West Bengal since 1977 and Bihar since 1990 to counter Gandhi's claim that anti-incumbency has disappeared against the BJP. The BJP's attack came after Gandhi alleged '100% rigging' in Indian elections and questioned why anti-incumbency does not affect PM Modi and the BJP, drawing comparisons with Saddam Hussein's Iraq and North Korea.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Three sources led with BJP's rebuttal, framing Gandhi as politically clueless and dependent on allies, while two reported his anti-incumbency argument neutrally without endorsing it. The pro-government outlets omitted Gandhi's Iraq and North Korea comparison entirely, which the neutral reports carried. The coverage shows a split: the ruling party's spokespersons got blanket amplification in some outlets, while the opposition leader's detailed critique was buried or ignored. The SIR process and Gandhi's rigging allegation remain unaddressed substantively by the government's response. The Election Commission's next steps on the SIR process will determine whether this exchange moves beyond political sparring.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (pro government) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/jhoot-ki-goonj-by-frustrated-leader-bjp-mocks-rahul-gandhis-presser-on-ec-sir-row/articleshow/134462963.cms>
  Leads with BJP mocking Gandhi as false and frustrated
- news.abplive.com (pro government) <https://news.abplive.com/news/india/political-understanding-is-zero-bjp-hits-back-at-rahul-gandhi-over-his-ec-presser-1868147>
  Prominently features Trivedi's attack on Gandhi's political sense
- economictimes.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/anti-incumbency-does-not-exist-in-saddam-husseins-iraq-or-north-korea-rahul-gandhi-asks-why-it-disappears-for-pm-modi-and-bjp/articleshow/134461572.cms>
  Reports Gandhi's full argument with Iraq and North Korea comparison
- indiatvnews.com (neutral report) <https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/zero-political-sense-bjp-takes-swipe-at-rahul-gandhi-says-congress-can-t-win-polls-on-its-own-2026-09-24-1055193>
  Brief straight report on Gandhi's anti-incumbency attack
- indiatvnews.com (neutral report) <https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/anti-incumbency-never-happens-to-modi-shah-and-bjp-rahul-gandhi-launches-attack-amid-sir-row-2026-09-24-1055187>
  Brief straight report on Gandhi's anti-incumbency attack

Tags: BJP, Election Commission, Pradeep Bhandari, Rahul Gandhi, Sudhanshu Trivedi
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