Shivraj Singh Chouhan Accuses Congress of Targeting Constitutional Institutions After Poll Defeats

New Delhi, October 12, 2026: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday accused the Congress of targeting constitutional institutions out of frustration over successive electoral defeats, as opposition parties staged a protest against the central government and the Election Commission over alleged electoral irregularities.

Criticising the Congress leadership, Chouhan said the party needed to introspect rather than blame the Election Commission for its electoral performance. He argued that internal conflicts, leadership disputes and a lack of direction were responsible for the party’s setbacks.

Comparing the Congress leadership to an unskilled performer who blames the circumstances for failure, Chouhan cited electoral contests in several states to question the party’s political strategy.

He referred to by-elections and local body polls in Assam, Tripura, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh, alleging that repeated defeats had pushed the Congress towards street protests. He maintained that responsibility for electoral losses rested with the party’s leadership rather than constitutional institutions.

Chouhan also pointed to alleged internal differences within the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka and Telangana. He cited the leadership situation in Karnataka, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar are prominent party figures, as an example of the challenges facing the organisation.

The minister further accused the Congress leadership of being disconnected from the country’s social values and traditions. Responding to the opposition’s concerns over constitutional safeguards, he alleged that Congress had undermined democratic principles in the past by dismissing elected governments on numerous occasions.

His remarks came as leaders of the INDIA bloc began a protest march from the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi against the central government and the Election Commission. The opposition has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in electoral processes and called for measures to protect democratic and constitutional rights.

The march took place amid heightened security arrangements and barricading by Delhi Police in the national capital. Opposition leaders announced plans to approach the Supreme Court through a writ petition, seeking judicial intervention on issues related to electoral integrity and constitutional protections.

The protest has intensified the political confrontation between the ruling BJP and opposition parties over the functioning of electoral institutions. While Chouhan accused the Congress of using protests to deflect attention from its electoral performance, opposition leaders maintained that their campaign was aimed at addressing concerns over the electoral process.

The competing positions underline the continuing political dispute over electoral accountability, the role of constitutional institutions and the safeguards required to maintain public confidence in democratic processes.