In a political drama that stretches from New Delhi to Belo Horizonte, a Brazilian model’s eight-year-old photograph has become the centerpiece of Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi’s explosive allegations of electoral fraud in Haryana. The Congress leader claims this single image voted 22 times under different names—but the real woman behind the photo has now spoken out, expressing sheer disbelief that her face has been dragged into Indian politics.
Larissa, the Brazilian woman in question, could only marvel at the situation in a video message: “What madness is this, what world are we living in?” Her genuine shock mirrors that of many Indians learning about the alleged irregularities in their electoral system .
The Political Bombshell: “Vote Chori” Allegations
Rahul Gandhi’s Press Conference Revelation
On November 5, 2025, Rahul Gandhi unveiled what he termed the “H-Bomb”—detailed allegations suggesting a systematic plan to “convert Congress’s landslide victory into a loss” in the recent Haryana Assembly elections . During a press briefing titled “The H Files,” Gandhi made the stunning claim that a single photograph of a Brazilian model had been used multiple times across Haryana’s voter rolls .
The Opposition Leader displayed the now-viral image and pointedly asked journalists: “Who is this lady? What is her name? Where does she come from? But she votes 22 times in Haryana, at 10 different booths, and has multiple names: Seema, Sweety, Saraswati, Rashmi, Vilma… But turns out she is actually a Brazilian model” .
The Scale of Alleged Irregularities
Gandhi’s allegations extended far beyond this single case. He claimed that Haryana’s electoral rolls contained approximately 25 lakh problematic entries—a staggering 12.5% of the state’s 2 crore registered voters . This breakdown includes:
- 5.21 lakh duplicate voters
- 93,174 invalid voters
- 19.26 lakh bulk voters
The Congress leader emphasized the significance of these figures by noting that the party lost the Haryana election by a narrow margin of approximately 22,000 votes across eight constituencies .
“What Madness Is This”: The Brazilian Model Speaks
Larissa’s Unexpected Journey to Indian Politics
Hours after Gandhi’s press conference, the woman in the photograph emerged with a video reaction that quickly went viral across social media platforms. Identified as Larissa (full name Larissa Rocha Silva according to some reports), she appeared both amused and stunned by her sudden connection to Indian politics .
Speaking in Portuguese, Larissa revealed that the photograph was taken when she was “about 20-years-old,” making it at least several years old . She joked about the situation while clearly grappling with its absurdity: “They are using a photo of mine to run, I don’t know if it’s an election, something where you have to vote. And in India, they are portraying me as an Indian woman to scam others, folks” .
Life Beyond the Viral Photo
Larissa’s life has moved on from modeling since the photograph was taken. Reports indicate she no longer works as a model and currently runs a salon in Belo Horizonte, Brazil . The attention from Indian media has been overwhelming—she described how journalists tracked her down through her workplace and Instagram account .
In a more formal video addressed specifically to India, Larissa clarified: “Hello India, I was asked to make a video for Indian journalists. So I’m making this video. I have nothing to do with Indian politics. I have never been to India. I was a Brazilian model. I love Indian people. Thank you very much. Namaste” .
How Does a Brazilian Model’s Photo End Up in Indian Voter Rolls?
The Stock Photography Trail
The photograph at the center of this controversy traces back to Brazilian photographer Matheus Ferrero, whose portfolio includes various portraits and fashion images . Gandhi himself pointed to the name “matheus ferrero” visible on the image during his presentation .
Independent investigations revealed that this particular photograph is available on Unsplash, a free stock photography platform where it was published as early as March 2, 2017, under the title “woman wearing blue denim jacket” . The availability of such images through free stock photo websites appears to have facilitated their potential misuse in creating multiple fake voter identities.
The Modus Operandi of Alleged Fraud
According to Gandhi’s allegations, the same photograph was used repeatedly across different polling booths in Haryana’s Rai Assembly constituency. This case wasn’t presented as an isolated incident—the Congress leader claimed to have found instances where a single photograph appeared 223 times across voter rolls in one assembly segment .
This pattern, Gandhi argued, creates “space for BJP people to come from other states and vote” using these fabricated identities . He specifically accused the Election Commission of complicity, asking why such obvious duplicates wouldn’t be flagged by their systems .
Official Responses and Counterclaims
Election Commission’s Rebuttal
The Election Commission of India (EC) has pushed back against these allegations. EC sources indicated that the Commission routinely conducts a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to identify and remove duplicate or invalid entries from electoral rolls .
They also highlighted a crucial point: why didn’t Congress party representatives raise objections during the appropriate window for challenges? “They are supposed to object if the elector has already voted or if they doubt the identity of the elector,” an EC source noted . The Commission’s systems allegedly can automatically flag duplicate entries, making large-scale duplication difficult to miss .
BJP’s Dismissal and Political Reactions
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju dismissed Gandhi’s allegations as “another baseless narrative” . He suggested the timing was politically motivated, noting: “Polling is happening in Bihar, yet he’s telling stories about Haryana. There’s nothing left in Bihar, so he’s shifting the narrative to Haryana” .
Rijiju also addressed the discrepancy between exit polls and actual results, noting that such variations are common in elections and don’t necessarily indicate foul play .
The Bigger Picture: “Vote Chori” Campaign and Democratic Concerns
Beyond Haryana: A Pattern of Allegations
Rahul Gandhi’s “vote chori” allegations aren’t limited to Haryana. The Congress leader has promised to present “dynamic and explosive proof” of what he describes as a systematic model of electoral manipulation . He’s specifically referred to this as the “Gujarat model”—claiming it was developed before 2014 and later implemented nationally .
Gandhi has alleged that similar irregularities affected election outcomes in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, as well as the Lok Sabha polls . The Haryana case represents what he calls concrete “proof” of a broader pattern that threatens India’s democratic foundation .
Ground Reports Corroborate Concerns
Independent reporting has uncovered some evidence supporting concerns about electoral rolls. An NDTV investigation in Haryana’s Rai constituency found several cases where legitimate voters discovered their names missing from rolls during the Assembly elections .
One voter, Anjali Tyagi, told NDTV: “I voted in the Lok Sabha polls, but in the Assembly election, my vote was missing. I don’t know why my name was removed” . The report documented multiple similar cases in Malikpur village, suggesting that the issues with Haryana’s electoral rolls may extend beyond just duplicate entries to include wrongful removals of legitimate voters .
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is the Brazilian model in Rahul Gandhi’s voter fraud allegation?
The woman in the photograph is Larissa (full name Larissa Rocha Silva according to some reports), a former model from Brazil. She no longer works in modeling and currently runs a salon in Belo Horizonte, Brazil .
2. How did her photo end up in Indian voter rolls?
Her photograph was available on Unsplash, a free stock photography website, where it was uploaded by Brazilian photographer Matheus Ferrero as early as 2017. The image appears to have been downloaded and used multiple times with different names in Haryana’s voter rolls .
3. How has Larissa reacted to this situation?
Larissa has expressed shock and amusement, calling the situation “crazy” and “madness.” She confirmed it’s her old photograph from when she was about 18-20 years old and stated she has never been to India or been involved in Indian politics .
4. What proof supports the allegation of vote fraud?
Rahul Gandhi presented evidence of the same photograph appearing with 22 different names across 10 polling booths in Haryana’s Rai constituency. Independent verification by NDTV found additional irregularities in the same area, including legitimate voters whose names were missing from rolls .
5. How have authorities responded to these allegations?
The Election Commission has rejected the allegations, noting that Congress did not raise objections during the statutory period for challenging voter rolls. The BJP has dismissed the claims as a baseless narrative to explain electoral losses .
Conclusion: More Than Just a Viral Story
This bizarre connection between a Brazilian model and Haryana politics represents more than just an unusual viral story—it highlights serious questions about the integrity of India’s electoral system. While Larissa continues her life thousands of miles away, understandably confused by her unexpected role in Indian politics, the allegations she’s inadvertently become part of strike at the heart of Indian democracy.
The coming days will likely see more developments as the Election Commission faces pressure to address these claims more comprehensively, and as the Congress party promises further revelations. What remains clear is that in today’s interconnected world, even a Brazilian model’s stock photograph can become evidence in a political battle that could shape the future of the world’s largest democracy.
What do you think about these allegations? The conversation about electoral integrity affects every Indian citizen—share this article to spread awareness and join the discussion about protecting our democracy.
