Rahul Gandhi outlines INDIA bloc march; BJP counters him with 'Pakistan' jibe, 'anarchy' charge

The march will begin at noon at the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction; rain pushes the INDIA bloc's symbolic protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar to October 31

The INDIA bloc march on November 1 will begin at noon from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction and culminate at Ramlila Maidan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday during an 'Ask Me' session on Instagram.

The INDIA bloc has also planned a "mega rally" at Ramlila Maidan over alleged "vote chori" and to press for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged voter list irregularities.

The INDIA bloc's symbolic "public impeachment" of Kumar has been postponed to October 31 due to rain in the city. It was originally scheduled for Friday.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Due to incessant rain, the Public Impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar organised by the INDIA janbandhan has been rescheduled to tomorrow, October 31st, at 230pm. This will be followed by the 'Chalo Dilli' Ramlila March on Sunday, November 1st."

"The countdown to the exit of Gyanesh Kumar, who has so blatantly and brazenly subverted and sabotaged the Constitution of India on the instructions of the PM-HM duo is accelerating," he said.

'Rahul spreading anarchy': Mohan Yadav

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of spreading anarchy, saying it seemed as though he had come from Pakistan to do politics in India.

"Rahul Gandhi is spreading anarchy and displaying ignorance, questioning institutions like the Election Commission, the judiciary, and the military, which protect democracy through constitutional rights. It seems like Rahul Gandhi is not from this country and is coming here from Pakistan and doing politics," Yadav said.

BJP announces Karnataka 'Save Democracy, Eradicate Anarchy' campaign

Accusing the Congress of politicising the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and misleading youngsters to provoke confrontation, BJP MLA V Sunil Kumar announced a month-long statewide campaign, 'Save Democracy, Eradicate Anarchy', from November 1.

The campaign will involve college students, young professionals, writers, lawyers, doctors, chartered accountants and sportspersons, with interactive programmes planned at more than 500 locations across Karnataka, he told reporters.

As part of the campaign, a programme involving 1,000 students will be held in Hubballi on November 3, followed by a similar interaction at Town Hall in Bengaluru on November 5, he said.

In the second phase, interactive programmes will be organised in more than 100 colleges across the state, with college students at the centre of the campaign.

The third phase will extend the outreach to all taluk headquarters, mandals and Assembly constituencies, with young writers, lawyers, doctors, chartered accountants and sportspersons also participating, he said.

He accused the Congress of repeatedly changing its position on electoral processes, saying it had questioned electronic voting machines (EVMs), demanded ballot papers, raised objections to electoral rolls and was now opposing the Special Intensive Revision exercise.

"Initially, it said EVMs were unreliable. Then it demanded ballot papers. Subsequently, it claimed that electoral rolls were faulty. Now it says SIR itself is wrong. After the Uttar Pradesh election results, it will probably start saying that the voters themselves are wrong," he said.

Kumar highlighted the BJP-led Union government's initiatives for young people.

JP Nadda attacks Congress over 'vote chori' campaign

Union minister JP Nadda on Tuesday accused the Congress of undermining the credibility of constitutional institutions and the Election Commission by questioning electoral processes after defeats.

His remarks came as the BJP held a 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' march in Ahmedabad.

Defending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Nadda said the exercise was necessary to remove duplicate, deceased, shifted and otherwise ineligible voters. He said such verification drives were not new and had been undertaken under previous governments as well.

He also urged the Congress to submit evidence before competent authorities instead of making allegations against constitutional institutions.

Earlier, on September 28, Nadda had alleged that the Opposition was vitiating the atmosphere even after the Election Commission had rejected its claims. He had also alleged that its objectives were to seize power, nurture dynastic politics and reap personal benefits, rather than serve the people.

'Modi will return to Red Fort as PM'

"Democracy is in safe hands. People's trust is with Narendra Modi," BJP president Nitin Nabin said while addressing a 'Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao' march taken out by the BJP in Delhi on Wednesday to counter the opposition's sustained campaign against "vote chori".

"Given the way he is leading the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will once again be seen hoisting the tricolour on the ramparts of the Red Fort in 2029," he said.

The BJP chief slammed Rahul for questioning the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR exercise, saying anarchy has no place in the country.

"We want Rahul Gandhi to continue leading the Congress the way he is doing now. The Congress will keep counting its last breath. And a day will come when Rahul Gandhi will remain the party's only leader and worker," he said.

"They want a list of 'ghost voters', people with no traceable address or whereabouts. They want a voter list that would keep their own business and political racket thriving. But we believe in setting things right," the BJP president said.

Nabin questioned Gandhi's concern for voters whose whereabouts, he claimed, were unknown.

"What kind of love is this towards 'ghuspaithiyas' (infiltrators)? You want to run the Congress and the country's politics with ghuspaitiyas... Don't you have trust in the 140 crore citizens of India?" Nabin asked.

Nabin also alleged that Rahul keeps invoking democracy while carrying a copy of the Constitution, but does not care for it.

"People thought that this Congress would come to be known as 'Indira's Congress'. But instead, it has come to be known as 'Italian Congress'. There is a fundamental defect in the way they think. That is why the people of this country keep trying to purify them. Yet, they never learn," Nabin said.

"The Congress will cease to exist if it keeps following 'Rahul Baba'," he added.

Rahul Gandhi's dream of regime change will never be fulfilled

Senior BJP leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das on Thursday said Rahul Gandhi and his supporters, including Communists and members of the Cockroach Janta Party, would never fulfil their dream of regime change.

Reacting to Rahul's proposed "vote chori" agitation, Das said regime change happens through the ballot, not at gunpoint or by unleashing chaos.

The BJP leader said in a statement that while the opposition has the right to question the election process, it must also present solid evidence to support such allegations and seek a solution through constitutional institutions.

The former chief minister said public trust cannot be won merely through false slogans and allegations.

"History bears witness to the fact that people can bring about a change of regime only through ballots," Das said.

"Those forces that wish to capture power by triggering violence do not have any base among the masses," Das claimed.

Referring to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Das said its politics began with education reform.

Das alleged there is no clarity about its funding and agenda.

In a democracy, the ruling party and the opposition are accountable to the masses, and the only valid way to change governments is the ballot and not violence or chaos, Das added.

BJP questions Congress on EC appointment process

The BJP, in a post on X on Friday, questioned the Congress over its criticism of the process of appointing chief election commissioners, claiming that during Congress rule, there was neither a law nor a committee for selecting election commissioners and that the prime minister and the cabinet decided the names without consulting the leader of the opposition.

"Did you know? During Congress rule, there was neither a law nor a committee to select the chief election commissioner. The name was decided at the whim of the prime minister and the cabinet; the leader of the opposition wasn't even consulted," it said.

"Today, the same Congress is questioning a transparent and impartial system," the BJP said, asking Gandhi if his current stance on the functioning of the CEC and the poll panel reflected concern for democracy or was the result of being away from power.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had on Thursday urged people to join the opposition INDIA bloc's November 1 'Chalo Dilli' march, asking them not to worry about police and their "lathis".

The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha asserted that the BJP "will not have the guts to try any of their antics".

Rahul said the opposition INDIA bloc's 'Chalo Dilli' march was intended to save democracy, put an end to what he called "vote theft" and protect the Constitution. He urged student groups, regardless of political affiliation, to join.

Delhi traders urge Congress leaders to postpone rally

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) and local market associations, representing around 20 major wholesale and retail markets such as Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar and Khari Baoli, have appealed to Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to postpone the rally until after the festive period.

The CTI has also written to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, seeking to postpone it until after November 10-11 or shift it to Burari Ground.

According to CTI estimates, the rally could attract nearly 10 lakh people and bring between 15,000 and 20,000 buses and other vehicles into the area. The association fears that the movement of people and transport could block roads linking Old Delhi and Central Delhi's key commercial areas, disrupting what it estimates to be daily business worth approximately Rs 10,000-12,000 crore.

Gandhi's announcement on Friday confirmed that the march remained scheduled for November 1.