INDIA bloc plans bigger protest against Gyanesh Kumar tomorrow, more MPs to join

INDIA bloc MPs will hold a bigger protest on Thursday against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar after opposition leaders were stopped from reaching Jantar Mantar during a coordinated mobilisation in Delhi on Wednesday.Several opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, were detained after they got off their buses, staged a sit-in and raised slogans demanding Kumar's resignation, leading to massive chaos in the national capital.Opposition leaders said the plan for another protest was discussed among the parties on Wednesday and that more MPs would join the agitation.The INDIA bloc also discussed its efforts to seek a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu. While the opposition had sought time for a delegation of 15 leaders, 10 members have been permitted to meet the President, sources said. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is expected to be part of the delegation. The opposition parties had worked out a joint plan after a luncheon meeting hosted by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Three air-conditioned buses were arranged to transport the MPs, with the parties coordinating the movement and ensuring representation from different constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. After the meeting, the MPs moved together to the buses parked on Janpath and set off for Jantar Mantar.The buses were stopped at Ashoka Road near the Shangri-La hotel, about two kilometres from Jantar Mantar. Sources said the MPs had the option of remaining inside the buses if there was no provocation, but after seeing protesters on the ground, the leaders decided to get off and go ahead with the agitation. Wednesday's mobilisation came a day after INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters and staged an around eight-hour sit-in at Akashvani Bhawan after being stopped by police.Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and several other leaders were detained at the end of that protest. The opposition parties have been demanding Kumar's resignation over their allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll.The protests renewed after a September 25 report in The Indian Express on alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision process and differences among the election commissioners over certain decisions. The opposition has now planned a bigger protest on Thursday while also pursuing a meeting with the President.- Ends