‘Vote Chori’: Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee Lead INDIA Bloc Attack On CEC At Delhi Rally

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and other INDIA bloc leaders on Sunday intensified their attack on the Election Commission over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar during a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

Addressing the ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ gathering, the Opposition leaders accused the BJP of manipulating elections through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and alleged that eligible voters were being removed from electoral rolls. The BJP rejected the allegations, accusing the Opposition of attempting to create unrest and destabilise an elected government.

Opposition Alleges Large-Scale Voter Deletions, Demands CEC’s Resignation

The rally followed a symbolic ‘public impeachment’ of Kumar organised by Opposition parties on October 31. The INDIA bloc had adopted a resolution listing six allegations against the CEC, including electoral manipulation, large-scale voter deletions through SIR, changes to voter registration procedures and compromising the independence of the Election Commission. The Opposition demanded his removal and accused him of acting in favour of the BJP-led government.

The Election Commission has denied allegations of political bias, maintaining that the revision process is part of its electoral-roll verification exercise. It has also said that voters whose names were wrongly deleted can apply for re-enrolment. Reuters reported that more than 130 million names had been removed from voter lists in the revision, while the Opposition alleged that the exercise disproportionately affected Muslim and other minority voters. The Commission has rejected claims that it favoured any political party.

BJP Calls Rally ‘Anarchy Model’, Questions November 1 Timing

The BJP launched a counterattack, with Union Minister JP Nadda describing the INDIA bloc rally as an “orchestrated drama” and accusing the Opposition of using allegations over SIR to create unrest, disrupt Delhi’s administration and destabilise an elected government. Nadda outlined what he called a four-stage “anarchy model”, alleging that the Opposition was spreading rumours about electoral processes, organising street protests, damaging the economy and attempting to bring about regime change.

The BJP also questioned the decision to hold the rally on November 1, the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence. Nadda accused the Congress of insensitivity towards the Sikh community, while Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri led a BJP protest march in west Delhi’s Hari Nagar, joined by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other party leaders. The protesters demanded an apology from the Congress over the 1984 killings.

The BJP further accused the Opposition of disregarding the concerns of Delhi’s traders during the festive shopping season, with the Chamber of Trade and Industry warning that restrictions and disruption around the rally could affect business across markets. Nadda said shopkeepers and street vendors depended on the festive period for their earnings. Rahul Gandhi, however, had urged rally participants to support local traders by shopping in Delhi, rejecting claims that the demonstration would hurt business. Gandhi also alleged that shops in Connaught Place had been forcibly closed, causing losses to traders.