INDIA Bloc to Hold Joint Press Conference, Rahul Gandhi to Host Opposition Leaders for Tea
The meeting follows the opposition’s March for Democracy and submission of a Supreme Court petition over SIR and alleged electoral irregularities.
New Delhi: Leaders of the INDIA opposition bloc are scheduled to hold a joint press conference on Tuesday, October 13, before Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi hosts a tea meeting for opposition MPs, civil society representatives and student organisations at his residence in New Delhi.
According to sources, the discussions are expected to focus on a coordinated strategy against alleged “vote chori” and the opposition’s demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The meeting comes a day after opposition leaders, activists and civil society members participated in a “March for Democracy” in the national capital and submitted a joint petition to the Supreme Court concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and alleged irregularities in the electoral process.
The march was attended by several prominent opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, CPI leader D Raja, CPI(M) leader M A Baby, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule.
A large number of protesters carrying flags and placards gathered in central Delhi. The march was stopped by police barricades on Bhagwan Dass Road, after which senior opposition leaders proceeded towards the Supreme Court to submit the petition.
The petition names the Election Commission of India, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi as respondents. The opposition has raised concerns about the SIR exercise and alleged electoral irregularities, calling for greater accountability in the preparation of voter lists.
The developments followed Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s decision to decline a meeting request from opposition leaders, with the matter reportedly already being considered by the court. The Chief Justice advised the delegation to pursue the matter through the appropriate legal process.
The planned meeting at Gandhi’s residence is expected to provide an opportunity for opposition leaders and civil society representatives to discuss their next steps in the campaign.