Rahul-Priyanka protest move upsets INDIA bloc allies
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NEW DELHI: The Congress’s decision to stage a sit-in at Akashvani Bhavan during the INDIA bloc’s march to the Election Commission on Tuesday has upset several Opposition allies, who felt that a joint protest against the Election Commission eventually turned into a “Rahul Gandhi show.”
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stole the spotlight after they entered the All India Radio headquarters and staged a sit-in for several hours, while several other Opposition leaders were detained and taken to police stations.
Sources said Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal subsequently told leaders of INDIA bloc parties that the Congress leadership had “acted in the moment” and expressed regret over the “mistrust” created because allies had not been kept informed about the move.
Around 200 Opposition MPs had gathered at Parliament’s Makar Dwar before marching towards the Election Commission to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over issues relating to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The Congress described the Akashvani Bhavan action as an “impromptu” move. According to Congress sources, Rahul Gandhi had planned to enter the complex and leave through its rear gate, which faces the Election Commission office. After police locked the gate, the Gandhi siblings, along with Venugopal, Pawan Khera and Imran Pratapgarhi, staged the sit-in and demanded a meeting with the Election Commission.
Another day, another face loss for Balak Buddhi Rahul Gandhi and co.
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Their ally, Omar Abdullah, has congratulated PM Modi on completing #25yearsofSeva
Omar Abdullah has hailed PM Modi’s people-first mindset behind these 25 years of consecutive wins.
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The Gandhi siblings and other Congress leaders were detained later and subsequently released. Delhi Police has also registered an FIR over the incident.
Several INDIA bloc leaders questioned both the unilateral nature of the action and the demand for a meeting with the Election Commission when the protest itself was seeking the CEC’s resignation.
“This was an INDIA bloc protest, but eventually it became a Congress and Rahul Gandhi protest,” an alliance source said.
The episode is not the first instance of Congress taking an independent protest initiative. During the Monsoon Session, allies were also not initially informed about Rahul Gandhi’s proposed protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence.