Gyanesh Kumar replacement won't make Rahul Gandhi PM: Assam BJP chief
Synopsis
Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia turned the Opposition's campaign against CEC Gyanesh Kumar into a direct attack on Congress's electoral credibility — declaring that no change at the Election Commission would ever make Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister. The remark lays bare the BJP's strategy: frame the entire row over electoral roll revision as political deflection rather than a genuine institutional crisis.
Key Takeaways
Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia rejected the Opposition's demand for CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation on 1 October 2026 .
Saikia said replacing Kumar would not help Congress return to power or make Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister.
The Congress Working Committee has formally called for Kumar's immediate resignation; the INDIA bloc has announced further protests.
Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and other leaders were detained in Guwahati on 25 September during protests against the CEC.
The Election Commission has maintained that internal deliberations are normal and all final decisions are taken unanimously.
The row centres on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with Opposition alleging irregularities and the BJP rejecting the charges.
Assam Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Saikia on Thursday, 1 October 2026, firmly rejected the Opposition's demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, declaring that a leadership change at the Election Commission would do nothing to improve the Congress party's political fortunes. Speaking in Guwahati, Saikia went further, arguing that even a new CEC would not open the door to Rahul Gandhi becoming Prime Minister.
Saikia's Sharp Salvo at Congress
Reacting directly to the Congress-led Opposition's campaign against Kumar, the Assam BJP president minced no words. "Gyanesh Kumar can be replaced, but even if he is replaced, the Congress will never come to power," Saikia said. Taking a pointed swipe at Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, he added: "Replacing him will not make LoP Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister either. The Congress should replace LoP Rahul Gandhi. Until the Congress replaces LoP Rahul Gandhi, nothing can be done."
The Political Battle Over the Election Commission
Saikia's remarks arrived amid an escalating confrontation between the ruling BJP and Opposition parties over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Congress Working Committee has called for Kumar's immediate resignation, while the INDIA bloc has announced further protests over the issue. Opposition parties have raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process, allegations the BJP has categorically rejected, accusing the Opposition of attempting to undermine the Commission.
Protests and Detentions in Assam
The dispute has triggered ground-level unrest in Assam. On 25 September, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and other party leaders were detained in Guwahati while staging a demonstration against the CEC and demanding his removal. The episode underscored the intensity of the standoff at the state level, with both sides sharpening their rhetoric ahead of forthcoming electoral contests in the region.
Election Commission's Position
The Election Commission has maintained that differing views among Election Commissioners are a natural part of the institution's deliberative process, and that all final decisions are taken unanimously. The body has not indicated any intention to alter its leadership structure in response to Opposition pressure. Notably, reports of internal differences within the Commission over electoral roll revision have been the key trigger for the Opposition's intensified campaign.
What Comes Next
With the INDIA bloc having announced further protests and the Congress Working Committee having formally demanded Kumar's exit, the confrontation over the Election Commission's independence is unlikely to ease in the near term. Saikia's comments signal that the BJP intends to counter each Opposition move by turning the narrative back to Congress's electoral viability — a strategy that frames the entire row as politically motivated rather than institutionally grounded.
Point of View
A pattern that sidesteps accountability. What the row actually reveals is a deeper crisis of trust in the ECI: when Opposition parties feel compelled to publicly demand a CEC's resignation and stage street protests, and when reports of internal EC differences surface, the damage to institutional confidence is real regardless of who is right on the merits. The BJP's counter-narrative may land well with its base, but it does not resolve the legitimacy questions that the electoral roll revision controversy has raised.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Opposition demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation?
The Congress-led Opposition has demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation following reports of differences within the Election Commission over issues related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have also alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process, though the Election Commission has rejected these concerns.
What did Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia say about Rahul Gandhi?
Dilip Saikia said that even if Gyanesh Kumar were replaced, it would not help Congress return to power or make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister. He called on the Congress to replace Rahul Gandhi as Leader of the Opposition instead, framing the CEC controversy as politically motivated.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update and verify electoral rolls by adding eligible voters and removing ineligible entries. Opposition parties have alleged that the current SIR exercise contains irregularities, a charge the Election Commission and the BJP have denied.
What happened during the Assam protests over the CEC row?
On 25 September, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and several other party leaders were detained in Guwahati while demonstrating against CEC Gyanesh Kumar and demanding his removal. The detentions underscored the intensity of the political standoff at the state level.
What has the Election Commission said about internal differences?
The Election Commission has maintained that differing views among its commissioners are a normal part of the institution's deliberative process and that all final decisions are reached unanimously. The Commission has not indicated it will make any leadership changes in response to Opposition demands.
