Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule termed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations about vote theft "baseless and childish", and said he had insulted voters in the state with his claims, reported news agency PTI.

Bawankule questioned why Congress workers had not raised objections when the voters' list was published ahead of the elections, urging them to do so this time before the upcoming local bodies polls in Maharashtra.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has sparked a controversy with his allegations that the Election Commission is "openly colluding" with the BJP to carry out "vote theft" with the objective of taking away the voting rights of the poor.