'It became a Rahul-Priyanka protest': INDIA bloc allies fume over unannounced Akashvani Bhavan sit-in

'Won't leave streets until Gyanesh Kumar resigns': CJP's Saurav Das files October 10 protest proposal

New Delhi: The INDIA bloc's march to the Election Commission (EC) in Delhi was planned as a joint Opposition show. By the end of Tuesday (October 6), the protest had turned into a source of irritation for several allies, who felt the Congress took decisions on the ground without keeping them informed.

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stole the show after they entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises and staged a sit-in for several hours. Several Opposition MPs, including Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, were detained and taken away in buses as the march was stopped by the Delhi Police.

The episode left some INDIA bloc leaders with the view that the joint protest had ended up being identified with the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. The issue also involved the decision to seek a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The Opposition had marched to the EC hedquarters demanding Kumar's resignation over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The protest also involved allegations of voter-list manipulation.

The Indian Express has cited a source stating that while the demonstration had been organised as an INDIA bloc protest, it ultimately turned into a Congress and Rahul Gandhi protest.

Around 200 Opposition MPs gathered at Makar Dwar in Parliament on Tuesday before setting out towards the EC office. The Delhi Police had barricaded roads leading to the poll panel headquarters.

As the march reached Akashvani Bhavan, several senior Opposition leaders were detained. Akhilesh was among those taken away by the police.

Rahul and Priyanka then entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises with Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera and Imran Pratapgarhi.

The Congress described the decision as "impromptu". Rahul had planned to enter the complex and leave through a back gate, which faces the EC office, according to Congress sources, as cited by the IE. The police locked the gate, after which the Gandhi siblings and other Congress leaders began the sit-in.

The protesters demanded a meeting with the EC. Rahul said he would stay until the Chief election commissioner met them.

Reuters reported that Gandhi had earlier said that "the election commissioners will have to meet us eventually". "We only want to go to the election commissioners, ask them questions and tell them you have stolen votes," he said, according to the news agency.

The sit-in lasted for more than seven hours. The police eventually detained Rahul, Priyanka and other leaders. Around 250 people were detained during the day, according to the police.

The main complaint among some INDIA bloc partners was about communication within the alliance.

One alliance leader told IE, "There was a communication gap, and it was not discussed that they would meet the CEC."

Another Opposition MP said, according to The New Indian Express, other parties had not been informed about the Congress leadership's next move.

Some allies also questioned the decision to insist on meeting CEC Kumar during a protest demanding his resignation.

"Why would we meet the Election Commission when we are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar? If this had been discussed with the allies, we would not have agreed," a Left MP told the publication.

The unease increased after several Opposition leaders were taken to police stations while the Gandhis and Congress leaders held the sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan.

Congress leaders later reached out to the alliance partners. According to The New Indian Express, thy called INDIA bloc parties around 7 pm and asked them to join the protest. Several leaders reached Akashvani Bhavan by around 7.40 pm.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra later posted, "Inside Akashwani Bhavan. We will leave after we meet Gyanesh and tell him to resign."

Congress leaders defended the decision and said the sit-in had not been planned in advance. "The Congress leaders did not know about the protest, so the allies also did not know," a Congress leader said.

Another defended the action as "spontaneous". "How could we have predicted this? And the MPs of other parties could have come back, and some of them did. The Congress has ensured all allies feel included," the leader said.

Congress General Secretary (organisation) Venugopal also reached out to INDIA bloc partners after the protest. Sources said he told allies that the Congress leadership had "acted in the moment" and expressed regret over the "mistrust" caused by the lack of consultation.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is hosting INDIA bloc MPs for lunch at Sagar Ratna in Janpath on Wednesday (October 7). The meeting is scheduled for 1.30 pm.

The lunch is expected to provide an opportunity for the alliance parties to discuss their next steps over the "vote chori" issue and their demand for Kumar's resignation.

The Congress has faced a similar situation before.

During the Monsoon Session of Parliament, allies were not informed in advance about Rahul's plan to stage a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence. The demonstration followed the Congress's demand for the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks.

Congress leaders, including Venugopal, later contacted alliance partners. Akhilesh, Supriya Sule and other Opposition leaders joined Rahul at that protest.

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