INDIA bloc stages mega rally in Delhi; Amit Shah shifts focus to anti-Sikh riots
Rahul, Priyanka, Akhilesh, Mamata, Tejashwi, Farooq Abdullah Supriya Sule, and other leaders protest against CEC Kumar, SIR at Ramlila Maidan
INDIA bloc leaders, including the Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and others held a mega rally against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday (November 1).
Addressing the Rahul Gandhi said, “This is not voice of one party or leader; this is voice of India’s youth, women, farmers, workers.” He asserted that “Gyanesh Kumar will be removed as CEC and he will go to jail.” “We don’t want a country where only two or three people flourish and capture entire system; we will not allow this,” he added.
“The first step to put the country back on rails is to remove Gyanesh Kumar as CEC,” he said, adding that action will be taken against CEC Kumar and INDIA bloc will take on PM Modi next.
Kharge targets Modi-Shah
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of shielding CEC Kumar. “Modi and Shah have attempted to snatch the vote of Dalits, youth and women. Modi ji wants to take away their votes through his man, Ganesh Kumar. We will keep fighting until he goes, and ensure his exit,” Kharge said.
Alleging that Modi and Shah are trying to protect Kumar, Kharge said “even if the CEC hides underground, we will find him”. “Be it the central government, governments in Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, they are chori governments (formed on stolen mandate). We have to throw out these vote chor,” Kharge said.
“Modi jayega to hi loktantra bachega, Modi ko hatayenge tabhi loktantra ko bachenyenge, Modi ko hatao loktantra ko bachao (Remove Modi to save democracy),” he said.
Mock impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar
It comes a day after INDIA Bloc carried out a symbolic “public impeachment” of Gyanesh Kumar in a mock-Parliament kind of setting.
In an unprecedented event, opposition MPs and leaders, joined by civil society members, passed a resolution to "impeach" Kumar at a meeting presided over by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar in a setting resembling Parliament proceedings at the lawns of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's 10, Rajaji Marg residence in Delhi.
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Live Updates
- 1 Nov 2026 4:17 PM IST
Rahul predicts CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s removal, jail term
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that 13.50 crore voters had been removed from electoral rolls through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of being responsible.
Addressing the INDIA bloc’s mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Gandhi predicted that Kumar would be removed from his post and face imprisonment over the alleged irregularities.
"I am telling you all today and I am not saying this lightly because when I say things they come true. Gyanesh Kumar will be removed from the post of CEC. Gyanesh Kumar will go to jail... What he has done is treason. Vote chori is a rarest of rare offence which Gyanesh Kumar has committed," he said.
He further claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not have become PM and Amit Shah would not have become Home Minister without Kumar’s alleged role. He also accused the RSS of having “captured every institution”.
- 1 Nov 2026 4:13 PM IST
Rahul accuses BJP of vote theft across recent elections
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the BJP of undermining democracy through alleged electoral malpractice, including EVM manipulation and voter deletions.
Addressing the INDIA bloc’s mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Rahul said the gathering had sent a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah that no one was above the Constitution.
"All of you gathered here today have sent a clear message to Modi and Shah today that you will not allow democracy to be destroyed, that whoever (Modi and Shah) may be, you are not bigger than the Constitution of this country," he said.
Rahul alleged that several recent elections, including the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Bihar and West Bengal, had been affected by vote theft.
"Be it 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Maharashtra assembly polls or Bihar assembly polls or Bengal assembly polls, all elections have seen vote chori - vote chori by EVMs, vote chori by voter deletions, vote chori by SIR," he said.
- 1 Nov 2026 4:02 PM IST
M A Baby calls Modi ‘Asatya Ka Maharaja’, targets CEC over 'Vote Chori'
CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby on Sunday accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of involvement in alleged vote theft and demanded that he be prosecuted.
Addressing the INDIA bloc’s mega rally in Delhi, Baby also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi “asatya ka maharaja” (king of falsehoods), accusing him of repeatedly making false promises.
Referring to Modi’s earlier remarks on the Opposition allegedly taking away women’s mangalsutras and his promise to double farmers’ incomes, Baby said both claims had proved false.
He further alleged that farmers’ incomes had declined and accused the Prime Minister of now being involved in “vote chori”.
- 1 Nov 2026 4:00 PM IST
Mamata alleges TMC was defeated through ‘vote chori’
TMC leader Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the party did not lose the West Bengal Assembly election but was defeated through what she described as “vote chori”.
- 1 Nov 2026 3:54 PM IST
Akhilesh Yadav accuses BJP of vote theft, targets SIR in UP
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the BJP of undermining democracy and alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had been used to delete 1.27 crore votes belonging to Hindus in Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing the INDIA bloc’s mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, Yadav said the opposition had come together to challenge those responsible for what it describes as vote theft.
He also took a swipe at the BJP over its electoral record in Varanasi, saying, “Those talking of double engine have been given Double Zero by the people of Kashi,” referring to the party’s defeat in both MLC seats in the city.
Yadav alleged that the BJP had manipulated elections in West Bengal through the SIR and claimed that vote theft had also cost the Samajwadi Party the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
He said his party had submitted evidence and affidavits to the Election Commission over alleged deletion of votes belonging to Samajwadi Party supporters, but claimed no action had been taken on the complaints.
“BJP wants only its voters should remain citizens of India,” he said.
Yadav ended with a warning to the BJP, saying, “Those who came to power from UP, will also go out of power from UP. People of UP give memorable farewells.”
- 1 Nov 2026 3:40 PM IST
Tejashwi Yadav challenges Modi to choose between country and CEC
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to choose between the country and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar while addressing the INDIA bloc’s mega rally in Delhi.
“Modiji, today you have to choose. Will you choose the country or will you choose your Gyanu?” he said.
Accusing those in power of cheating the country, Tejashwi urged rally attendees to return with a resolve to oppose such practices.
He also appealed to voters in Uttar Pradesh to vote the BJP out in the upcoming elections.
"When Shakuni is playing his game, we have to face them in the rannbhoomi. When Shakuni gambled with the dice, the dice only gave results Shakuni wanted. Who is Shakuni today?" he said, with the crowd responding, "Modi". When he asked, "Who is the dice?", the crowd responded, "Gyanesh Kumar".
- 1 Nov 2026 3:37 PM IST
Kharge targets Modi-Shah over votes, demands Gyanesh Kumar’s removal
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of manipulating votes belonging to women, Dalits and the poor, while targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the INDIA bloc’s mega rally in Delhi.
Kharge alleged that the government was using Kumar as a “pawn” to carry out these actions and demanded his removal from office.
“This is a historic rally. Modi and Shah have stolen votes of women, of Dalits, of the poor. Modi using a pawn, Gyanesh Kumar, to do all this. We have all come here with the resolve that till Gyanesh Kumar is not sacked, we will not rest,” Kharge said.
He further asserted that Modi and Shah would not be able to protect the CEC, adding, “Even if Gyanesh hides under the ground we will dig him out (zameen ke andar bhi chupega toh hum nikal kar layenge).”
- 1 Nov 2026 3:32 PM IST
Kharge says INDIA bloc protest will continue until CEC resigns
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the INDIA bloc’s protest would continue until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar steps down from his post.
- 1 Nov 2026 3:18 PM IST
Kharge arrives at Ramlila Maidan for INDIA bloc mega rally
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge arrived at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday to attend the INDIA bloc’s mega rally against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
- 1 Nov 2026 3:10 PM IST
INDIA Bloc leaders reach Ramlila Maidan for mega rally
Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders arrived at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday for the opposition alliance’s mega rally against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The rally is part of the bloc’s ‘Vote Chori’ campaign, with opposition leaders raising concerns over the electoral process and alleged irregularities in voter lists.
