New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS): Several lawmakers of the INDIA bloc marched towards the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, against alleged irregularities in poll body decisions, regarding the Special Intensive Revision exercise and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
From Congress to Trinamool Congress to Samajwadi Party to other allies of INDIA bloc, all participated in the mega demonstration against the CEC. Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Virendra Singh said that they joined the protest at the behest of party president Akhilesh Yadav.
“I do not know about the INDI Alliance, but our national president has called upon all MPs to reach Makar Dwar. We are all party workers, we have come here on the instructions of our national president,” Singh said.
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the CEC during the protest.
Speaking on the INDIA bloc’s protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Banerjee said, “That vote thief Gyanesh should resign…”
Congress MP Imran Masood also demanded resignation of the CEC, alleging that Gyanesh Kumar had undermined the credibility of the Election Commission as an independent institution.
Speaking to IANS, Masood said, “The CEC should resign. Gyanesh Kumar has broken the trust that the Election Commission had earned as an independent and impartial institution in the country. When we demand Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, the BJP starts raising questions.”
Reacting to the decision of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to skip the INDIA bloc’s protest against the CEC, Masood said that only those standing with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would be visible in the ongoing political fight.
“Those who are walking hand in hand with Rahul Gandhi will be the ones seen in this fight. The rest will either be swept away in the storm or will remain on the other side and be swept away,” Masood said.
Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat said that INDIA bloc parties were protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar.
The protest has brought the Opposition’s concerns over the electoral revision exercise and the functioning of the Election Commission into political focus. However, the participation of some Opposition parties highlighted differences over the extent of coordination among INDIA bloc constituents.
