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Opposition leaders finalise venue ahead of November 1 rally, while Congress mobilises workers across states to amplify electoral demands.
With the Congress led INDIA bloc set to hold a massive public meeting titled ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ on November 1 over alleged vote chori and its demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, sources said the Opposition would also hold a mock Parliament session on October 30.
The Opposition INDIA bloc is planning to hold a mock Parliament session and a mock impeachment exercise against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in the capital on October 30, ahead of its November 1 joint rally, top sources said.
A source said there was consensus among Opposition leaders on the programme, which would take forward a proposal discussed by Opposition parties, civil society groups and student representatives earlier this month.
The leader said finding a suitable venue remained the main hurdle and was the reason the programme, initially planned for October 28, was deferred to October 30.
The INDIA bloc leaders had considered holding the programme on October 28 at the public meeting venue of Ramlila Maidan, but the option was ruled out as preparations for the stage and ground would be underway ahead of the November 1 rally. The source said the leaders also explored Talkatora Stadium, but it was unavailable on the proposed date.
However, after the Opposition leaders received confirmation of a venue at Hotel Ashoka, the date and location were finalised.
The source further said that, as Opposition parties were exploring other ways to amplify their demand for Kumar’s removal, the mock Parliament session formed part of that initiative.
The proposed October 30 programme will precede the alliance’s November 1 joint rally, placing a public discussion on its demand for Kumar’s removal ahead of the mobilisation.
To make the November 1 public meeting a success, the Congress has started mobilising leaders and workers from Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other states to ensure a large turnout.
On Friday, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal held meetings with leaders from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and tasked them with bringing large crowds from the two states. The source said Venugopal had asked Haryana leaders to bring at least one lakh people from the state.
At the meeting with Uttar Pradesh leaders, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined Venugopal.
The UP leaders, the source said, had been tasked with bringing at least 50,000 people to the rally.
After the meeting on Friday, Venugopal took to X and wrote, “Along with Priyanka Gandhi ji, met with AICC In-Charge Rajendra Pal Gautam, UP PCC President Aradhana Misra-Mona, and senior leaders from UP Congress to discuss our mobilisation efforts for the Nov 1st INDIA Bloc Mega Rally against Vote Chori.”
He said they had also held a meeting with AICC incharge Sanjay Dutt, PCC president Rao Narender Singh and senior leaders from Haryana to discuss mobilisation for the rally.
“This rally at Ramleela Maidan will be the culmination of a massive Delhi Chalo March which will reach the national capital on 1st November, where we expect at least 1 million citizens to march for our cause,” Venugopal said.
“Our programs against the criminal Vote Chori orchestrated by Gyanesh & Co. – at Modi-Shah’s behest – will be historic. People from all across the country will be attending in massive numbers, and it will send a strong message to every corner of India that we are united in protecting our democracy and driving these Vote Chors out of power,” he added.
The Opposition has launched an intensive campaign amid allegations of irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The INDIA bloc parties have accused the Commission of facilitating electoral manipulation and demanded Kumar’s resignation.
Rahul Gandhi has also alleged that the CEC was not the only person responsible for the alleged wrongdoing.
The INDIA bloc and the Congress have held protests in different parts of the country over the past fortnight, demanding Kumar’s resignation.
Earlier, the Opposition had twice attempted to remove Kumar by moving an impeachment motion against him.
In the first attempt, the notices were rejected by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, while notices submitted during the second attempt remain pending in the Upper House.
Under the Constitution and the law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, Parliament can remove a CEC only through a process similar to the removal of a sitting Supreme Court judge. The Opposition would need a two-thirds majority in Parliament to remove the CEC, as it would for a Supreme Court judge.