BJP hits back as TVK joins INDIA bloc protest over electoral roll revision

The Bharatiya Janata Party has strongly criticised Tamil Nadu's ruling Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam for taking part in an INDIA bloc demonstration in Chennai against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, questioning whether the party is opposing constitutional processes.

The demonstration saw TVK representatives join opposition leaders to raise objections against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a routine verification and sanitisation exercise undertaken to ensure accurate voter lists. Opposing parties have claimed that the revision exercise systematically removed eligible voters, targeting younger citizens and economically weaker sections.

BJP Tamil Nadu president Nainar Nagenthran firmly rejected the allegations, defending the integrity of the electoral roll revision. He called TVK founder and Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's decision to align with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on the matter a "historic blunder".

What the BJP said

Nagenthran questioned TVK's sudden alignment with the opposition front on an institutional process intended to maintain accurate democratic records. He pointed out that several former parliamentarians, including leaders from the Congress in neighbouring Kerala, had previously welcomed the revision exercise.

Highlighting recent remarks from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who questioned the legitimacy of administrations elected after the revision process, Nagenthran asked if the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was ready to endorse such extreme stances.

"Is the TVK accepting the observations of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who has said that those who came to power in the elections that were conducted after the SIR are 'illegal occupants'? Will Mr. Joseph Vijay accept that 'I am an illegal CM' and come forward to quitting his post?" Nagenthran asked.

The Chennai protest

At the demonstration in Chennai, TVK leader and School Education Minister A. Rajmohan claimed that the party had opposed the revision exercise from its rollout and had approached the Supreme Court against its implementation in states such as Bihar.

Demonstrators from the INDIA bloc demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging administrative bias in the updates.

While the opposition alleged that the exercise disadvantaged marginalised communities, the ongoing revision mechanism across states forms part of the standard constitutional apparatus overseen by the Election Commission of India to clean up duplicate entries, remove deceased voters, and ensure robust electoral data nationwide.