BJP alleges Kota Neelima holds dual voter IDs, urges ECI investigation

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday accused Congress leader Pawan Khera’s wife, Kota Neelima, of voter fraud, claiming she holds two voter ID cards under her name. BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi alleged this was another example of the Congress “disregarding democracy” and being “focused solely on votes.”

"Congress calls itself a 'Mohabbat Ki Dukan', but it’s actually a market of fakeness and fraud," Ilmi said at a press conference. She claimed both Khera and Neelima—who contested the 2023 Telangana assembly elections from Khairatabad—were found with duplicate EPIC (voter) cards.

Ilmi also criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of “doxing” by revealing voter identities during a recent press briefing. “By making personal details public, Gandhi has endangered ordinary citizens and violated their privacy,” she said, adding that his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ is more about political gain than protecting voter rights.

The BJP has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to investigate the alleged duplicate voter cards and take legal action. Ilmi also demanded that Rahul Gandhi address the allegations publicly.

Meanwhile, the ECI has already issued a notice to Pawan Khera after the BJP alleged he was registered as a voter in two Delhi assembly constituencies—Jangpura and New Delhi.

Responding to the notice, Khera said the issue stemmed from an administrative lapse. He explained that he had moved out of the New Delhi constituency in 2016 and had followed the formal process to have his name deleted, placing the responsibility on the election office for not updating the records.