New Delhi, Oct 2026 : Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a sarcastic swipe at the BJP and its allies, thanking them for what he described as their enthusiastic promotion of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally against alleged “vote chori”.
In a post in Hindi on social media platform X, Gandhi said the BJP’s efforts had helped spread the message of the opposition rally to a wider audience. He urged the ruling party to maintain the same enthusiasm over the next seven days.
The INDIA bloc rally, titled “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao”, is part of the opposition’s campaign against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Gandhi alleged that voters’ names had been removed from electoral rolls and that rules and laws had been violated. He also criticised the alleged use of force against people who questioned the process.
“We will not tolerate this silently under any circumstances,” he said, asserting that the nation would respond to the alleged irregularities.
Announcing the November 1 programme, Gandhi called on students, farmers, labourers, women, young people and traders to participate in the march and mega rally in Delhi.
“The vote is yours. The fight is also yours,” he said, urging citizens concerned about democracy to join the protest.
He concluded his message with a sarcastic “heartfelt thank you” to the BJP and its allies for publicising the event, adding that they should continue with the same energy and dedication over the coming week.
BJP Questions November 1 Rally Date
The BJP had criticised the Congress over the planned rally, alleging that Gandhi was determined to hold it on November 1 despite the date coinciding with the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters on Saturday, party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that several INDIA bloc constituents were uncomfortable with the proposed date and wanted the programme rescheduled.
The Congress, however, has described the rally as a major mobilisation against alleged electoral irregularities.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal called the proposed “Dilli Chalo” march to Ramlila Maidan the party’s biggest protest against what it terms “vote chori”.
Opposition Plans Public Action Against CEC
Separately, opposition INDIA bloc leaders are scheduled to hold a “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 30 and announce a public verdict against him, according to the announcement.
The developments signal an intensifying political confrontation between the opposition and the BJP over electoral roll revisions, alleged poll irregularities and the functioning of the Election Commission.
The November 1 rally is expected to be a key part of the opposition’s campaign, while the BJP has questioned both the timing and the political intent behind the event.
