New Delhi:
After a meeting of the INDIA bloc with President Droupadi Murmu to raise alleged illegalities in the electoral system, Leader of the Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi said she “did not deny” the assertion but sought proof. “We have all the proof of how elections were stolen. The entire country has seen it,” he added. There was no word as such from the President’s office on the discussions.
Gandhi led a group of Opposition MPs and party leaders in a march from Parliament towards Rashtrapati Bhavan, and a smaller group then met the President to demand that Gyanesh Kumar resign as Chief Election Commissioner. Their three-point memorandum also sought that the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls be scrapped, and the 13 crore voters excluded in the drafts be added back.
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— Congress (@INCIndia) October 9, 2026
While a group of 10 leaders eventually went in for the meeting, the others held a sit-in at Kartavya Path on the route, holding “Gyanesh, it’s done bro!” placards and raising slogans alleging “vote chori” and “collusion” between the EC and the BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Priyanka Gandhi, Deepender Hooda, Mahua Moitra and other MPs at Kartavya Path in New Delhi on Friday.
Photo: NDTV
The march followed a meeting of around 150 MPs and other leaders of the INDIA bloc in the Central Hall of Parliament, where 16 leaders from 16 different parties signed the memorandum for the President, raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (EC).
At the meeting, Gandhi said the Opposition’s demonstrations over the past few days have “shaken the foundation of the government”.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the march, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha, who is among the 11 leaders to meet the President, said, “The demand is the same as that of the entire country: to dismantle the entire structure of dishonesty, and Gyanesh Kumar is standing like a shield.”
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said, “All patriots are engaged in strengthening the country’s democracy, regardless of whether they are members of any political party or not… I salute all the patriots who have come to the streets.”
The youth movement Cockroach Janta Party, which forced the education minister’s resignation in July over paper leaks, has called for a protest at Jantar Mantar in the heart of Delhi on Saturday, October 10. The government has deployed thousands of cops and cut internet access within a 4-km radius around Jantar Mantar for 24 hours starting 10 pm on Friday.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of acting out of fear, while referring to the closure of metro stations and cancellation of train services in light of the Jantar Mantar protest call. “A person who is afraid will die tomorrow, if not today,” he said.
“The mistakes committed by Gyanesh Kumar have created a situation of fear in the country and put democracy in danger. That is why we are going to meet the President and apprise her of the things he has done,” Kharge told reporters.
BJP leader JP Nadda repeated the ruling party’s assertion that the Congress-led bloc was simply a sore loser looking for excuses. He cited the BJP’s victories in recent bypolls, results of which came out earlier in the day. “NDA’s greatest strength lies in the people’s trust and confidence! The Lok Sabha result in Nagaon and Assembly results in Nandigram, Rejinagar and Thattanchavady reaffirm the people’s faith in [PM Modi’s] leadership, vision and policies and the BJP-NDA’s agenda of good governance and public welfare,” he posted on X.
“The INDI Alliance’s repeated electoral defeats reflect its declining public trust. Questioning institutions instead of introspecting only exposes its political desperation,” he further argued.
