Opposition Escalates Demands Against CEC
The INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties, significantly escalated its protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday, demanding his immediate resignation. The demonstration began with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosting a second consecutive lunch for Opposition Members of Parliament in Connaught Place, Delhi, before they proceeded to march towards Rajghat.
This gathering, held at Moets, saw a broad representation of opposition leaders, including prominent figures like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from the Congress. Notably, parties previously absent from such meetings, including the Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), also participated. Chief Ministers Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu of Himachal Pradesh and A Revanth Reddy of Telangana were also in attendance, underscoring the unified front against the Election Commission.
Request for Presidential Meeting
Alongside their public demonstration, the INDIA bloc has formally sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu to convey their concerns regarding the conduct of elections and the CEC. Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal confirmed that two requests were sent, on October 2 and October 5, outlining the names of participating leaders and requesting a meeting on October 7, 8, or 9. As of Thursday, no response had been received from the President's office, prompting the bloc to announce they would await a reply for another day.
Continuous Agitation and Previous Protests
The latest events mark the third consecutive day of protests by the INDIA bloc, signaling a sustained campaign for change within the Election Commission. CPI(M) MP John Brittas affirmed the Opposition's resolve, stating the agitation would persist until CEC Gyanesh Kumar steps down. RJD MP Sudhakar Singh echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the ongoing "fight for justice."
The current mobilisation follows dramatic scenes from Wednesday's protest, where INDIA bloc MPs attempted to march to the Election Commission but were halted by security personnel. Rahul Gandhi notably resisted attempts at detention, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was observed sitting on the road, holding a copy of the Constitution, in a powerful display of civil disobedience. These actions were preceded by an eight-hour sit-in staged by Rahul Gandhi at Akashvani Bhawan earlier in the week, highlighting the growing frustration among opposition ranks. Congress MP Deepender Hooda accused the government and the Election Commission of attempting to stifle the Opposition's voice, vowing that the protests would continue.