Several INDIA Bloc leaders gathered at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in New Delhi on Thursday, 29 October 2026, to finalise preparations for the 30 October 'public impeachment' event against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the 1 November mass rally at Ramlila Maidan. The meeting came as Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam launched a sharp counter-attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of having disrupted trade in Chandni Chowk by holding its own 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' rally there on Wednesday.

Congress Turns the Tables on BJP Over Chandni Chowk

Rajendra Pal Gautam argued that the BJP's decision to stage its rally at Chandni Chowk — one of Delhi's most densely commercial corridors — had directly hurt local traders, even as the party publicly criticised the Opposition's 1 November Ramlila Maidan event on the same business-disruption grounds. 'They disrupted the business operations of local traders by organising their event at Chandni Chowk. In contrast, our event is taking place at a site officially designated by the government itself, where no business or trade is being impacted. Chandni Chowk is not a designated venue for such demonstrations, yet they prevent others from protesting while holding their own events there. This double standard will not work,' he said.

Gautam went further, describing the BJP as a 'crumbling castle — decayed at its core, with hollow walls and a shaken foundation.' He added: 'This movement is dedicated to safeguarding the nation's democracy, protecting the Constitution, and defending the public's right to vote. The Bharatiya Janata Party has failed comprehensively across foreign policy, education, employment, and women's safety. The citizens of this country will hold them accountable.'

Background: Trader Concerns and the SIR Row

The tension over rally venues has been building for several days. Traders in the national capital have raised apprehensions about the impact of the INDIA Bloc's planned mobilisation on businesses during the festive season and had pleaded for a postponement. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) amplified those concerns as part of its criticism of the Opposition's rally. The INDIA Bloc's protest is centred on what it calls alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls — a process the Opposition contends is being mismanaged under the current Chief Election Commissioner.

What the 'Public Impeachment' Will Look Like

Following Thursday's preparatory meeting, Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas outlined the format of the 30 October event to reporters. 'We will have a proper impeachment-style procedure, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presiding over it. Representatives of various parties will present their views. The Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha will move the resolution, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha will conclude the discussion. Representatives of civil society will also participate, and those affected by the SIR will present their evidence,' he said.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Mahua Maji described the discussions as wide-ranging. 'We were discussing preparations for tomorrow's public impeachment programme and what would or would not happen. All the parties put forward their views and opinions. We also discussed the programme at Ramlila Maidan, which will also be quite historic,' she told reporters.

Rally Preparations at Ramlila Maidan

Gautam also visited Ramlila Maidan on Thursday to inspect the ground arrangements for the 1 November rally. He claimed that 'more than one million people from the INDIA Bloc are set to arrive,' and that participants were joining 'entirely at their own expense and out of their own conviction.' Organisers and independent observers have yet to provide a verified crowd estimate.

What to Watch

The twin events — Thursday's 'public impeachment' and Saturday's Ramlila Maidan rally — represent the INDIA Bloc's most coordinated political action since the general elections. The scale of turnout on 1 November and the response of election authorities to the impeachment proceedings will set the tone for the Opposition's next moves on the electoral-roll controversy.