The Samajwadi Party’s student wing staged a protest at Hazratganj in Lucknow today (November 1, 2026), demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Protesters were detained.

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BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, reacting to the INDIA bloc’s Ramlila Maidan protest, said Rahul Gandhi “does not get people’s mandate” and that “Modi is needed to keep the country strong”.

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Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said the BJP does not believe in democracy, adding that people were watching and “will not spare them”.

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Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said he had told people coming for the march and mega rally to shop in the area. He alleged that, on reaching Connaught Place, he found “the BJP has forcibly shut down every single shop”, and said people should know who was causing losses to traders.

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​-Rahul Gandhi on X

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday said the party’s protest rally against CEC Gyanesh Kumar to be held during the day at Ramlila grounds in the national capital was a “stern warning” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Congress has alleged electoral irregularities and demanded the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Mr. Venugopal told the media in Delhi that it will be a protest like never before and that it has affected the composure of the PM and Home Minister.

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Senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, CPI(M) general secretary M.A. Baby, CPI general secretary D. Raja and CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, reached Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, from where they proceeded to Minto Road in an open bus to march to Ramlila Maidan.

Supporters have gathered at the venue, and party workers at locations across Delhi, ahead of the protest today (November 1, 2026) against alleged electoral irregularities and demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

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Tribal communities from across the country performed a cultural dance in Connaught Place ahead of the INDIA bloc’s rally at Ramlila Ground.

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Congress leader and Punjab Congress in-charge Sachin Pilot said the government wants to stop people through pressure and prevent them from voicing their opinions, but neither Rahul Gandhi nor “our people” would back down. He said “hundreds of thousands” would arrive from across the country today (November 1, 2026) and that traders would see “a lot of business”.

-ANI

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking in Shimla, alleged that Mr. Gandhi was upset because the names of “infiltrators” had been removed through the SIR. He said the BJP stood with the Election Commission. He asked whether the elections in Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Mr. Gandhi’s own Raebareli seat should be annulled by the same logic, and accused the Congress of “double standards” for claiming votes are “stolen” only where the BJP is in power. He also made an insulting personal remark against Mr. Gandhi.

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Mr. Nadda called the Ramlila Maidan rally “a foolish, orchestrated drama”. He alleged that Mr. Gandhi’s politics works in four stages: spreading lies and rumours, inciting street anarchy, damaging the economy, and destabilising an elected government “at the behest of foreign powers”. He said the rally had four aims, among them to “rub salt into the wounds” of Sikhs and to rob Delhi traders of festive-season earnings.

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Union Minister J.P. Nadda told Rahul Gandhi that India was “not some ‘banana republic’” where one could “incite arson, trigger riots, or push an agenda for ‘regime change’”. 

He called November 1 the “darkest stain” in India’s democratic history, alleging that “goons nurtured by the Congress party” massacred Sikhs on this day in 1984, and said the Gandhi family had never offered a sincere apology. He accused Mr. Gandhi of insensitivity for holding the rally today (November 1, 2026).

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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the message of the INDIA bloc’s mega protest was “very simple”: “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao”. He added that it was “not about the Congress” but about the constitutional rights of the Indian people.

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CPI(M) MP John Brittas on Sunday (November 1, 2026) described the INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan as a landmark protest that would have a major impact on the country’s politics. He claimed that more than 10 lakh people would gather and said the ground was already packed before the event began.

Mr. Brittas said the rally would send a strong message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He warned that the government should act on the demand or face further political consequences.

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Congress leader Pawan Khera said “this is the calm before the storm”, adding that the “coming storm will sweep Gyanesh away” and that Amit Shah and Narendra Modi would also “not remain in their positions”. 

Responding to the BJP’s objections that the rally would hurt traders, he asked whether BJP rallies did not cause traders losses too, and cited a rally held by Nitin Nabin on a Wednesday when markets were open.

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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said the “limits of injustice have been crossed”, alleging that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had admitted that 1.27 crore votes were reduced only after losing the MLC election. 

He said those who spoke of a “double-engine government” had become “double zero”, and asked where the government got its data on the votes.

He also said lakhs of beneficiaries were claimed to be missing from voter lists, and urged them to come to Ramlila Ground, calling the rally a movement against “injustice and false promises”.

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The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc is staging the ‘Chalo Dilli’ march to demand the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Sunday (November 1, 2026).

The Opposition alliance alleges severe irregularities in the electoral rolls and opposes the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. 

The mega rally follows a​ symbolic “public impeachment” exercise​ the Opposition held on October 31, where they presented six charges against the CEC, including conspiring with the ruling BJP to steal elections, deleting 13.2 crore voters through the SIR of voter lists, and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

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Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose said on Saturday (October 31, 2026) that the voice raised at the INDIA bloc’s Ramlila Ground rally would “resonate in Parliament.” Referring to the bloc’s symbolic “public impeachment” of CEC Gyanesh Kumar on Friday (October 30, 2026), she said the government could “no longer protect” him and must dismiss him.

She also called for formal proceedings during the Winter Session to remove Mr. Kumar “through due process,” and for efforts to restore public trust in the electoral process.

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Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, in Bengaluru on Saturday (October 31, 2026), said he wished the INDIA bloc’s march in Delhi “great success.” 

“The right to vote is the right to live. Lakhs and lakhs of people have been deleted... It is our bounden duty to protect every voter,” he said, claiming attempts were also made to delete lakhs of voters in Karnataka.

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Supporters of various INDIA bloc parties began gathering at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan early Sunday morning, while party workers assembled at different locations across the national capital ahead of the Opposition alliance’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ protest against alleged electoral irregularities and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Samajwadi Party workers gathered outside party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s residence, while groups of Congress supporters assembled outside Himachal Bhawan before proceeding towards the rally venue.

Many supporters arrived in Delhi on Sunday (November 1, 2026) morning, while several others had reached the national capital on Saturday (October 31, 2026) or earlier as parties mobilised their cadres from different states for the protest. -- PTI

Amid the INDIA bloc’s mega rally in Delhi on Sunday (November 1, 2026), BJP national president Nitin Nabin is set to lead a ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ march in Haryana’s Rohtak to counter the Opposition’s narrative.

Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan will also participate in the ‘Loktantra Bachao, Arajakta Hatao’ padyatra in Faridabad. The march will begin from B.K. Chowk at NIT, Faridabad.

Mr. Nabin will lead the march against what the BJP describes as the Opposition’s “misinformation, propaganda and orchestrated chaos” on a day the INDIA bloc will hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi against the SIR and alleged vote theft.

Mr. Nabin’s padyatra will begin from Chhotu Ram Polytechnic Ground and culminate at D-Park in Model Town, where Mr. Nabin will also pay floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue, the BJP said in a statement.

The BJP said the initiative is far more than a political event; it represents a resolute ideological movement against the “falsehoods, conspiracies and unrest engineered by a desperate opposition”. -- PTI

AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday (November 1, 2026) said the party’s protest rally against CEC Gyanesh Kumar to be held during the day at Ramlila grounds in New Delhi was a “stern warning” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Congress has alleged electoral irregularities and demanded the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Mr. Venugopal told the media in Delhi that it will be a protest like never before and that it has affected the composure of the PM and Home Minister.

“They have lost their composure seeing the magnitude of the public support for the protest. That is why they are making statements that the protestors are anarchists and the agitation was an insult to the Parliament. The protest is a stern warning to them,” the Congress leader said.

“Gyanesh will be removed from his post. Take it from us,” he added.

Mr. Venugopal also said that it would be “good for the police” if they cooperate. -- PTI

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory announcing traffic restrictions and diversions in parts of Central Delhi on Sunday in view of a proposed INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan, with a large gathering expected at the venue. The restrictions will remain in place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and traffic movement on several adjoining roads is likely to be affected.

The advisory lists several diversion points, including Netaji Subhash Marg T-Point, Rajghat, Delhi Gate, ITO A-Point, Ajmeri Gate Red Light, Ranjeet Singh Flyover at Barakhamba Road, Bhavbhuti Marg-DDU Marg Red Light, Jhandewalan Roundabout, Turkman Gate and Mirdard Chowk.

Posters announcing the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Delhi’ march were put up outside Ramlila Maidan, as security personnel were deployed at the venue ahead of the Opposition’s mega rally on Sunday (November 1, 2026).

A post by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) also highlighted the rally, with preparations underway ahead of the event.

The INDIA bloc is organising the ‘Chalo Delhi’ march as part of its protest against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

The protest follows the INDIA bloc’s public impeachment programme against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, held in the national capital on October 31.Meanwhile, New Delhi has turned into a high-octane political battlefield with two major showdowns unfolding side-by-side. -- ANI

The chair on which former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar sat while presiding over the INDIA bloc’s “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday (October 31, 2026) was once occupied by the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

The information was provided by Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera, who was involved with organising the symbolic public impeachment.

“The chair on which Meira Kumar sat during today’s public impeachment proceedings against the CEC was once occupied by the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, the great-grandfather of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi,” Mr. Khera said on X.

“It was Nehru Ji’s chair throughout his tenure as prime minister. It witnessed some of the most consequential decisions in our nation’s history and carries the weight of that legacy,” he said.

Today, in that very chair, invoking the spirit of Nehru, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar pronounced Gyanesh Kumar unfit to continue as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Mr. Khera said.

“Gyanesh Kumar has been rejected by the people of India. It is only a matter of time before he goes,” Mr. Khera said. -- PTI

Everyone has the right to raise issues concerning the country through demonstrations, but such protests must be conducted with the national interest in mind, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) national publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar said on Saturday (October 31, 2026). He also urged people to remain vigilant against attempts by anti-national forces to exploit public demonstrations.

Mr. Ambekar was speaking to the media in Indore ahead of the RSS’ three-day national meeting, scheduled to begin on Monday (November 2).

Amid concerns of traders in central Delhi over the impact of the crowd expected at the INDIA bloc’s ‘Chalo Dilli’ rally on Sunday (November 1, 2026), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (October 31, 2026) urged people to do some festival season shopping after attending the rally.

In a video released late in the day, Mr. Gandhi appealed to people to shop for upcoming festivals like Deepavali, Chhath, and Bhai Dooj.

Opposition parties in West Bengal have stepped up the heat on the issue of 16.10 lakh appeals filed against the inclusion of voters following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the State.

Leaders of the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) have questioned the lack of clarity over who authorised the filing of the appeals after the SIR concluded in the State.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said INDIA bloc’s upcoming rally in Delhi is a “serious political mistake” and asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to “introspect”.

Mr. Puri called the INDIA bloc’s Sunday (November 1) rally as “completely insensitive to the mass atrocities committed 42 years ago”.

He noted that the trading community has also urged the Congress to reconsider the date of the rally in view of the festive season.

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Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday (October 31) met Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee in Delhi and thanked her for supporting the outfit’s youth-led protests, while extending solidarity with the INDIA bloc rally on the “vote chori” charge.

He, however, said that the CJP would retain its independent identity and not join the Sunday protest by the opposition parties.

Mr. Dipke said he had called on Ms. Banerjee to express gratitude for her support to the outfit’s first protest at Jantar Mantar on the NEET paper leak issue and her backing when its leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested by the Delhi Police.

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Left leaders on Saturday (October 31) accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of undermining universal adult franchise through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, with CPI(M) MP John Brittas alleging that even elected representatives are being made to establish their eligibility to vote.

The CEC has lost the moral and legal authority to remain in office, he asserted.

Speaking at the INDIA bloc’s “public impeachment” programme, Mr. Brittas said citizens who had exercised their franchise for decades are now finding their names deleted from electoral rolls, being summoned for hearings, and being told to prove their existence.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (October 31, 2026) accused the Congress and its allies of ridiculing democratic institutions by staging a mock Parliament session, and said that Opposition parties had repeatedly disrupted proceedings in the real Parliament.

At a press conference, BJP MP Sambit Patra referred to the structure resembling the old Parliament building erected for the mock Parliament session and said: “They want to retain everything from the old British-era structure... They should seat Rahul Gandhi ji as the mock Prime Minister in that very old structure. We have absolutely no objection.”

Catch the full story here

The chair on which former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar sat while presiding over the INDIA bloc’s “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday (October 31) was once occupied by the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

The information was provided by Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera, who was involved with organising the symbolic public impeachment.

Today, in that very chair, invoking the spirit of Nehru, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar pronounced Gyanesh Kumar unfit to continue as the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Mr. Khera said.

-PTI

The Janata Dal (United) on Saturday (OCtober 31) termed the INDIA bloc’s public impeachment exercise against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar a “drama”, accusing the Congress of trying to push the country towards anarchy.

JD(U) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad told PTI that the exercise does not reflect the role of a constructive opposition and that the entire episode reflects an extremist perspective and will not help resolve any dispute. “This is not going to resolve any dispute in any manner. It is an attempt to push the country towards anarchy,” Mr. Prasad told PTI.

The Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance’s symbolic “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday (October 31, 2026) featured accounts from voters who alleged that their names had been deleted from electoral rolls during the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise.

Among them was Anita Jaiswal, who moved from Kolkata to Delhi. She said she had voted in every election between 2012 and 2025 but was now being asked to establish her citizenship.

Here’s the full story

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday (October 31) demanded the immediate removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the 2023 law providing immunity to the CEC, accusing the poll panel chief of working under the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

“The Modi government has hatched every conspiracy since 2014 to cling to power: stealing MPs, breaking parties, stealing governments, electoral bonds, misuse of ED/CBI. And now vote theft -- cut opposition votes and rule,” he alleged, adding that there are hundreds of examples of “vote chori”.

-PTI

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Saturday (October 31, 2026) carried out a symbolic “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, unanimously adopting a motion by a show of hands.

They levelled six charges against him, including conspiring with the ruling BJP to steal elections, deleting 13.2 crore voters through the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists, and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Read the full story here

The stage is set for the INDIA bloc’s mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday (November 1), with opposition leaders and supporters from different states beginning to reach the national capital for a show of strength against alleged electoral irregularities and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

With a large tricolour canopy erected over the main stage, separate arrangements for representatives of INDIA bloc parties and security preparations in place, the Opposition is gearing up for a march from Minto Road to Ramlila Maidan, followed by a rally that is expected to bring together political parties, student groups and civil society organisations.

The mobilisation is not confined to the alliance’s political constituents.

-PTI