PRAYAGRAJ, Nov. 5 -- Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Wednesday dismissed opposition claims of electoral fraud, stating that the public has rejected "thieves," and that opposition parties are creating a narrative of anarchy to cover their electoral losses.

Addressing a crowd in Civil Lines ahead of the BJP Kashi region's "Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy" march, Maurya targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, challenging their allegations of electoral malpractice. He asserted that the BJP's victories are a result of public mandate, not manipulation.

Countering Rahul Gandhi's allegation that 13 crore votes had been stolen, Maurya cited official data from the Special Intensive Revisio...