The Congress-led 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao' (Save the Vote, Save the Nation) campaign was launched across India on Friday, 2 October 2026, with the INDIA bloc pledging to defend democracy and protect citizens' voting rights. Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal announced the campaign's launch while speaking to the media at Adoor in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, describing it as a critical political mobilisation against what he alleged was a systematic assault on the democratic process.

What the Campaign Demands

Venugopal said the campaign, which runs until 8 October, is designed to bring together political parties and civil society leaders under the INDIA bloc umbrella. He described it as a direct response to what he called 'major threats' to the country's democratic system, with a particular focus on what the opposition alleges are attempts to deprive citizens of their right to vote.

He called upon all democratic forces to unite, stating: 'The priority of all of us should be to fight together against such major threats.' He stressed that the stakes were especially high given the possibility, as he described it, of citizens losing their voting rights.

Sharp Attack on the Election Commission

Venugopal launched a pointed attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that the constitutional body was functioning in a manner that undermined democratic principles. He referred to 14 letters reportedly written by two Election Commissioners, claiming that the concerns raised in those communications had been ignored by the commission's leadership.

He went so far as to describe the ECI as a 'fake Commission' and said the campaign was also aimed at holding accountable those responsible for what he alleged was deliberate sabotage of the electoral process. The ECI has not yet responded publicly to these allegations.

Modi and Amit Shah in the Crosshairs

The Congress leader also directly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding that both be held answerable before the people for what he characterised as a threat to citizens' voting rights. He cited protests in Kerala as evidence of the opposition's resolve, noting that activists had shown 'black flags' against Shah despite what Venugopal described as 'government persecution.'

'Even amid government persecution, the movement in Kerala was able to show black flags against Amit Shah and lead strong protests,' he said, underscoring the party's capacity to sustain agitation under pressure.

Delhi March on October 6 and Planned Arrests

As a centrepiece of the campaign, INDIA bloc MPs will lead a major march in New Delhi on 6 October. Venugopal confirmed that senior leaders would court arrest as part of the agitation to amplify the protest's visibility and put further pressure on the government.

The campaign is expected to intensify in the days following the Delhi march, with state-level mobilisations planned across the country. This comes amid heightened political tension between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition coalition ahead of what analysts see as a crucial phase in the electoral cycle.