New Delhi: The unity among INDIA bloc members seemed to have fizzled out. However, the controversial special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in election-bound Bihar, carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI), has brought the Opposition parties together.
The Congress, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and several other parties have been protesting against irregularities in electoral rolls and removal of lakhs of voters from the list.
On Thursday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi held a press conference to allege that the Election Commission was colluding with the BJP to “steal elections”, and tried to validate his claim by showing in a power point presentation that there had been “bhayankar chori” (massive theft) of votes in the Mahadevapura assembly segment of Bangalore Central Lok Sabha seat last year.
On Monday, INDIA bloc MPs, led by Rahul, will march from Parliament to the Election Commission to protest alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) through the SIR exercise. The march is expected to begin from Parliament at around 11.30 am.
Floor leaders of the alliance are expected to meet the Election Commissioners to formally register their complaints.
Kharge’s dinner for Opposition leaders
Hours after the march to ECI on Monday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will host a dinner for INDIA bloc MPs.
A few days ago, top INDIA bloc leaders dined at Rahul’s residence, pledging to oppose the electoral rolls’ revision in Bihar and what they called the BJP-ECI’s ‘vote chori model’.
Demand for ‘clean’ electoral roll
Earlier on Sunday, Rahul reiterated his allegations of “vote chori” (vote theft) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, stressing that a “clean” voter roll is essential for free and fair polls.
“Vote chori is an attack on the foundational idea of ‘one man, one vote’. A clean voter roll is imperative for free and fair elections. Our demand from the EC is clear — be transparent and release digital voter rolls so that people and parties can audit them. This fight is to protect our democracy,” Rahul posted on X.
According to Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, the fight against alleged voter list manipulation was akin to a “do-or-die” mission to save Indian democracy.
“Just as Bapu gave us the “Do or Die” call during the Quit India movement, we today must embark upon a similar do-or-die mission to save Indian democracy,” Venugopal wrote on X.
He said that the Congress will hold a meeting of its general secretaries, in-charges, and frontal organisation heads on August 11, chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, to plan the next phase of its nationwide campaign against alleged voter list manipulation and election fraud.
