New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) : The INDIA bloc’s meeting is underway in New Delhi’s Constitution Club to formulate a common strategy against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The Opposition parties have gathered to discuss the strategy demanding accountability over alleged poll impropriety; questions remain over the bloc’s cohesiveness and its apparent objectives on the issue.
Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Bihar Assembly LoP and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, Congress Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh, etc are present at the meeting.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is not attending the meeting, while party MPs Harendra Malik and Maulana Mohibbullah Nadvi are representing the SP. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is attending the meeting virtually.
The AAP and DMK are not attending the meeting.
Ahead of the meeting, posters accusing opposition leaders of “doglapan (double standards)” over the Election Commission of India (ECI) have surfaced around the Constitution Club.
The INDIA bloc meeting comes even as leaders within the Opposition ranks have acknowledged that the bloc does not have the required numbers in Parliament to remove the CEC.
However, Opposition parties intend to demonstrate unity over what they describe as a challenge to the electoral process’s integrity and transparency.
The meeting comes a day after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) adopted a strong resolution demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, and restoration of voters allegedly removed from electoral rolls.
Given its political history and the numerical realities in both Houses of Parliament, Wednesday’s meeting may prove another difficult test for the Opposition bloc.
