Venugopal attacks Centre over Gyanesh Kumar, vows to fight for free elections
Synopsis
Congress's K.C. Venugopal went beyond rhetoric in Alappuzha on Saturday — he announced the INDIA bloc is now heading to the Chief Justice of India over the Election Commissioner row, while simultaneously issuing a two-year ultimatum to the Centre on Kerala's long-denied AIIMS. Both moves signal the Opposition is shifting its fight from the streets to institutions.
Key Takeaways
AICC General Secretary K.C.
Venugopal attacked the Modi government over its handling of the Gyanesh Kumar controversy in Alappuzha on 10 October 2026 .
The INDIA bloc has met the President and plans to approach the Chief Justice of India over concerns about the Election Commission's functioning.
Venugopal flagged the BJP lotus symbol on Election Commission letterheads as evidence of compromised electoral neutrality.
Kerala's AIIMS demand, first raised by Venugopal in Parliament in 2015 , remains unmet; he warned the INDIA bloc would deliver it if it comes to power.
Venugopal said the Congress is monitoring the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Kerala's electoral rolls with 'due vigilance.'
AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal on Saturday, 10 October 2026, launched a sharp attack on the Narendra Modi government over its handling of the controversy surrounding Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, asserting that the ruling dispensation's efforts to shield the official would ultimately accelerate its political downfall. Speaking in Alappuzha, Kerala, Venugopal said the Congress and the INDIA bloc would persist in their campaign until India's electoral process was made genuinely free, fair, and transparent.
Venugopal's Broadside on Electoral Integrity
Venugopal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of being unsettled by the Opposition's sustained protests over the Election Commission's functioning. He alleged that the government had gone so far as to shut metro stations to prevent demonstrators from reaching protest venues — a claim the Centre has not publicly responded to.
The INDIA bloc, he said, had already met the President of India to convey its concerns and had additionally resolved to approach the Chief Justice of India. Venugopal also flagged the controversy over the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) lotus symbol reportedly appearing on Election Commission letterheads, arguing it called into question the neutrality of the electoral machinery.
The AIIMS Demand: Kerala's Long-Pending Case
Venugopal used the Alappuzha platform to revive Kerala's longstanding demand for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), accusing the Centre of applying inconsistent standards when approving the premier medical institution for other states.
He recalled raising the issue in Parliament in 2015, when the then Union Health Minister had assured him that an AIIMS for Kerala would be sanctioned the following year — a promise that, according to Venugopal, has remained unfulfilled for over a decade. He pointedly stated that the BJP's Kerala unit should consider disbanding if it genuinely believed the state did not merit the institution.
Expressing cautious optimism, Venugopal said he hoped the Centre would grant the sanction within the next two years, but warned that if the BJP government failed to act, an INDIA bloc government at the Centre would ensure Kerala received its AIIMS.
Electoral Roll Revision and Other Concerns
On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls currently under way in Kerala, Venugopal said the Congress had engaged with the process with 'due vigilance,' without elaborating on specific objections. The SIR exercise has attracted scrutiny from multiple political parties in the state.
Asked about a court order directing registration of an FIR against Kerala's Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan, Venugopal offered a measured response, saying the law and court orders applied equally to all — a comment that drew immediate notice given the political sensitivities involved.
What Comes Next
The INDIA bloc's planned outreach to the Chief Justice of India over the Election Commissioner controversy marks an escalation in the Opposition's institutional campaign. Whether the courts admit such a petition and what relief, if any, is sought remains to be seen. On the AIIMS front, the Congress has effectively set a two-year deadline — one that could feature prominently in Kerala's political discourse ahead of the next state and national electoral cycles.
Point of View
Which the government can manage logistically, to the judiciary, where the terrain is less predictable. Yet the AIIMS gambit carries its own risk — a promise made since 2015 and unfulfilled under multiple governments across party lines. If the INDIA bloc does eventually form a government, it inherits that accountability too.
NationPress
10 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the controversy surrounding Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar?
The INDIA bloc, led by Congress, has raised concerns over the functioning and neutrality of the Election Commission, with Gyanesh Kumar as a focal point of their objections. Opposition parties allege that the government is shielding the Commissioner rather than addressing systemic issues in the electoral process, and have escalated the matter by meeting the President and now planning to approach the Chief Justice of India.
Why is the INDIA bloc approaching the Chief Justice of India?
The INDIA bloc has decided to approach the Chief Justice of India to register its concerns over the independence and neutrality of the Election Commission, according to K.C. Venugopal. This follows an earlier meeting with the President and marks an institutional escalation of the Opposition's campaign on electoral reforms.
Why has Kerala not received an AIIMS despite longstanding demands?
Kerala's demand for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences has remained unmet for over a decade. K.C. Venugopal said he first raised the matter in Parliament in 2015 and received an assurance from the then Union Health Minister, but the sanction was never granted. He argued the Centre's stated reasons lack merit given approvals granted to similar institutions elsewhere.
What is the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Kerala?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an exercise conducted by the Election Commission to update and verify voter rolls. In Kerala, multiple parties, including Congress, have said they are monitoring the process closely amid broader concerns about the Election Commission's functioning and neutrality.
What did Venugopal say about the court order against Pinarayi Vijayan?
K.C. Venugopal said the law and court orders apply equally to everyone, in response to a question about a court order directing registration of an FIR against Kerala Opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan. He did not elaborate further or take a partisan position on the specific case.
