Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted a lunch for members of the INDIA bloc at a Connaught Place restaurant on Thursday, marking the second such gathering in two days. The event, held at Moets in Outer Circle, drew a broad coalition of opposition leaders, including Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Vivek Tankha, Manickam Tagore, Jothimani, Rajiv Shukla, and Deepender Hooda. Chief ministers from Himachal Pradesh and Telangana, as well as representatives from the Samajwadi Party, Shiv Sena‑UBT, NCP‑SC, TMC, CPI‑M, CPI, and RJD, also attended.
After the lunch, the allied MPs moved toward Rajghat to protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who the opposition seeks to compel to resign. The protest is part of a sustained campaign that has seen Rahul Gandhi confront police barricades and other opposition leaders engage in marches and sit‑ins across the capital. The INDIA bloc has intensified its offensive against Kumar, with continuous demonstrations now in their third consecutive day.
K C Venugopal explained that the alliance has repeatedly requested an audience with President Droupadi Murmu, sending a first letter on October 2 and a follow‑up on the 5th with the names of all INDIA leaders. He said the group had sought appointments for the 7th, 8th, and 9th, but has yet to receive a response. Deepender Hooda added that the MPs were denied permission to meet the election commissioners and highlighted police brutality at Jantar Mantar, arguing that the collaboration between the BJP and the Election Commission threatens democratic processes. Jothimani described the police actions as “anarchy” and emphasized that the opposition is defending the country against Modi’s rule.
Earlier this week, the opposition’s bus procession and a sit‑in at a roundabout in front of the Shangri‑La hotel were halted by security personnel, with Priyanka Gandhi lying on the street clutching a Constitution copy. Rahul Gandhi resisted attempts to detain him in a van, while other INDIA bloc leaders were jostled by police. The protests, which began with an eight‑hour sit‑in at Akashvani Bhawan on Tuesday, have shifted to Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, underscoring the opposition’s determination to continue until Gyanesh Kumar steps down.
