BJP Calls INDIA Bloc Rally ‘Flop’, Says 'Can't Even Fake AI Image Right'

BJP leaders on Monday questioned the turnout at the INDIA bloc’s rally against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling it a “flop” and accusing Congress of exaggerating the crowd size.

Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that the party had used an AI-generated image to depict a packed Ramlila Maidan.

“To show a large crowd in Ramlila Maidan, the Congress Party should have at least prepared the AI-generated photo properly,” Rijiju said in a post. “Even the fake AI photo to show that Ramlila ground was full is not done properly by the fake narrative team of Congress Party!”

The rally took place on Sunday under the “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” banner. Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Tejashwi Yadav were among the leaders who attended.

BJP Questions Crowd Size

BJP MP Sambit Patra said nearly 40% of the venue was empty, disputing the Congress’s claim that 10 lakh people would attend. He said 5,000 to 7,000 chairs were unoccupied among the 28,000 arranged at the ground between 3.30 pm and 4 pm.

“You can see in the background that 40 per cent of the Ramlila Maidan, 40% of the space, was vacant,” Patra said. He called the gathering a “super flop” and accused Congress of using “trick photography” to make the crowd look larger.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also described the rally as a “complete flop”. Speaking to PTI, he said, “The truth is that the Opposition's frustration has reached its peak, and the frustration is so high that they do not even have an issue on which they can oppose the government.”

Tiwari added that the rally caused “almost no inconvenience” in Delhi and said the crowd was smaller than the turnout at a rally in Tilak Nagar held to mark the Sikh struggle of November 1.

BJP Attacks Opposition’s Protest

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also dismissed the rally as a “flop”. He said the BJP would return to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2027, cross 300 seats for a third consecutive time and form the government again in 2029.

Union minister JP Nadda accused the Opposition of using the rally to create disorder. In remarks to ANI, he said: “What is unfolding today at Ramlila Maidan is not an act of respect for democracy; rather, it is a calculated conspiracy to plunge the nation into anarchy—in the name of democracy.”

Nadda alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s politics involved “spreading lies and rumours”, “inciting anarchy and chaos on the streets” and trying to destabilise an elected government. He also accused the Opposition of seeking to trigger unrest in Delhi and disrupt business during the festive season.

At the rally, Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition would take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah after Gyanesh Kumar’s removal as CEC. He claimed the three leaders were unsettled by the protest and described Kumar’s removal as the first step towards putting the country “back on track”.

The INDIA bloc organised the rally to protest alleged electoral-roll irregularities and the use of the Special Intensive Revision exercise. The parties have also demanded accountability from the Election Commission and Kumar’s removal.