INDIA bloc to meet today to finalise plan for anti-SIR agitation

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, TMC’s Mamata Banerjee and members from the Left, CPI, CPM, NCP-SP and Sena UBT will participate.NEW DELHI: Opposition INDIA bloc members will meet here Wednesday to finalise an action plan for a joint agitation over the SIR exercise and demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, as the bloc seeks to close ranks amid the row over the EC's functioning.Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, TMC's Mamata Banerjee and members from the Left, CPI, CPM, NCP-SP and Sena UBT will participate. Mamata, who arrived in Delhi Tuesday, said the focus was on the EC and alleged its "software team" had "cheated and betrayed the people".DMK and AAP will not be part of the meeting, while SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will not attend due to RS poll nominations in UP and will send representatives.Left party members, including CPM's MA Baby, on Tuesday, led a protest to the EC headquarters demanding the CEC's resignation. CPM alleged that demonstrators were detained.Meanwhile, sources said TMC is contemplating releasing audio recordings of its meetings with CEC to highlight how Kumar interacted with political parties.