Congress postpones ‘Chalo Delhi’, plans statewide march

NEW DELHI: The Congress has postponed its ‘Chalo Delhi’ programme, scheduled for November 25 and 26, and will instead organise a ‘Samvidhan Raksha March’ in the capitals of all states on November 26, party sources said on Sunday. The party said the Delhi programme would be held at a later date. The change comes ahead of Constitution Day, observed on November 26.

The decision follows the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, where opposition parties protested alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The rally began near the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction and proceeded towards Ramlila Maidan. Opposition leaders from several parties joined the gathering.

Those present included Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. INDIA bloc representatives also attended, presenting a united opposition front.

Addressing the rally, Gandhi said the protest represented the voice of the country and was not linked to any one party or leader. He accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of facilitating alleged vote theft and said the Opposition would continue its campaign to protect the Constitution through peaceful and democratic means.

“Gyanesh Kumar will be removed from the post of Chief Election Commissioner. Gyanesh Kumar will go to jail,” Gandhi said, alleging that the poll chief’s actions had helped Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah come to power. The Congress has not announced a new date for the postponed Delhi programme. The November 26 marches are expected to take place across state capitals.