Assam BJP rallies Oct 13-31 against Rahul Gandhi's ECI campaign
Synopsis
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is launching BJP counter-rallies at every district headquarters from 13-31 October, directly targeting Rahul Gandhi's ECI protest campaign and the INDIA bloc's Delhi march. The move transforms a Delhi-centric political standoff into a state-level mobilisation battle — and signals the BJP's intent to fight the institutional narrative war on the ground.
Key Takeaways
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced BJP rallies at district headquarters across Assam from 13 to 31 October .
The rallies directly counter Rahul Gandhi's INDIA bloc march in New Delhi against the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) .
Sarma accused the Congress of double standards — accepting election results when victorious, rejecting them after defeats.
The BJP said the rallies will also defend the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which the Congress opposes.
Security was tightened across New Delhi for the INDIA bloc march; six metro stations temporarily closed entry and exit until 4 pm .
The standoff follows Gandhi's allegations of violence during a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar .
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, 13 October 2026, announced a series of peaceful rallies at district headquarters across Assam from 13 to 31 October, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of mounting a systematic assault on constitutional institutions through his sustained criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Assam unit will organise the counter-campaign in direct response to Gandhi's planned INDIA bloc march in New Delhi.
What Sarma Said and Why
In a post on X, Chief Minister Sarma accused the Congress of adopting double standards on electoral outcomes — accepting democratic results when the party wins and questioning institutional credibility only after defeats. 'Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party are mounting an attack on the very foundations of India's vibrant democracy,' Sarma wrote, adding: 'When Shri Narendra Modi Ji is elected Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi calls it manipulation, yet his own election to Parliament and his subsequent elevation as Leader of the Opposition is beyond question.'
Sarma further argued: 'When Assam votes, the result is unacceptable, when Kerala votes, it is welcomed. Democracy, for the Congress, is valid only when it delivers victory for the Congress.' He also alleged that Gandhi was attempting to exert political pressure on the judiciary after the Chief Justice of India declined a meeting request from opposition MPs.
Three Core Objectives of the Rallies
The Chief Minister outlined three specific aims for the state-wide mobilisation: alerting citizens to what he described as Congress attempts to 'blackmail constitutional institutions'; countering the opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which Sarma claimed was designed to shield illegal infiltrators; and defending the democratic mandate of the electorate. Sarma added that the rallies would reaffirm the BJP's support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India by 2047.
The Delhi March and INDIA Bloc
The announcement came as Gandhi prepared to lead an INDIA bloc march in New Delhi, with protesters planning to proceed from Connaught Place towards the Supreme Court. Gandhi urged opposition parties, students, and civil society groups to join the march, framing it as a movement to defend democracy and demand accountability from the ECI.
Congress MPs Imran Masood and Jebi Mather said the protest sought to mobilise citizens beyond party lines. Mather alleged that security restrictions in central Delhi were intended to discourage participation. Authorities tightened security across the capital, deploying barricades and personnel at several locations and ordering the temporary closure of entry and exit at six metro stations until 4 pm.
Background: What Sparked the Standoff
The political confrontation deepened after Gandhi alleged violence against students and women during an earlier protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The dispute has now broadened into a larger battle over electoral transparency and institutional accountability, with both sides claiming the mantle of constitutional propriety. Notably, this is not the first time the Congress and the BJP have clashed over the functioning of the ECI — similar accusations surfaced after assembly election results in 2023 — but the scale of mobilisation on both sides marks a new intensity in the standoff.
With rallies scheduled across Assam's district headquarters through 31 October, the political temperature in the state is set to remain elevated as the national debate over electoral institutions continues.
Point of View
Where the party holds structural advantages. Sarma's framing of the SIR opposition as a proxy for shielding illegal infiltrators is a deliberate appeal to identity politics in a border state where immigration remains a live nerve. What the mainstream coverage underplays is that both sides are now using institutional criticism as electoral mobilisation — the Congress to energise its coalition around transparency, the BJP to consolidate its base around constitutional sanctity. The real casualty in this duel of narratives may be a dispassionate, evidence-based conversation about whether the ECI actually needs structural reform.
NationPress
12 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Assam BJP holding rallies against Rahul Gandhi's ECI campaign?
The BJP's Assam unit is organising rallies from 13 to 31 October to counter Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Election Commission of India and the INDIA bloc's Delhi march. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused the Congress of undermining constitutional institutions and adopting double standards on electoral outcomes.
What is the INDIA bloc march in Delhi about?
The INDIA bloc march, led by Rahul Gandhi, is a protest from Connaught Place towards the Supreme Court demanding accountability from the Election Commission of India. It follows Gandhi's allegations of violence against students and women during an earlier protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an exercise to update and clean up voter rolls. The BJP, through CM Sarma, has stated it supports the SIR, while accusing the Congress of opposing it to protect illegal infiltrators — a claim the Congress has not directly responded to in the source material.
Who is Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar?
Gyanesh Kumar is the current Chief Election Commissioner of India. The opposition's protest was partly triggered by demands for his resignation over allegations related to the functioning of the ECI, although specific charges were not detailed in the BJP's response.
What security measures were put in place for the Delhi march?
Authorities deployed barricades and security personnel at multiple locations across New Delhi for the INDIA bloc march. Entry and exit at six metro stations were temporarily closed until 4 pm. Congress MP Jebi Mather alleged that these restrictions were designed to discourage participation.
