INDIA Bloc March: Rahul Gandhi leads ‘Chalo Delhi’ rally against CEC towards Ramlila Maidan

Top opposition leaders and thousands of supporters from across the country gathered in the national capital on Sunday for the INDIA bloc’s 'Chalo Delhi' protest march at Ramlila Maidan.

Several prominent leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, left the Constitution Club to join the procession. Other senior leaders of the opposition alliance also participated in the march.

Carrying banners bearing the slogan "Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao" (Save the Vote, Save the Nation), opposition leaders are spearheading a massive protest against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The INDIA bloc has also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of overseeing systemic voter deletions.

Punjab Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who is joining the protest, said, "The entire government is focused on shielding Gyanesh Kumar—who has betrayed this nation, attempted to dismantle democracy, and shown disregard for the Constitution. Our rally today is directed against him. The Congress party has always accorded respect to the Sikhs. Rahul Gandhi holds deep affection for the Sikh community. You speak of the Sikhs and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots—a truly tragic event, which I condemn—but your government has been in power for 12 years. Why haven’t you delivered justice? It is only now, when we are holding a rally, that you suddenly recall this insult to the Sikhs."

The march began at the Minto Road–Connaught Place junction and proceeded towards Ramlila Maidan amid tight security arrangements. Nearly 10,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Central Delhi, with multi-layered barricades and extensive drone surveillance in place to prevent any untoward incidents. Meanwhile, thousands of party workers, student groups and civil society representatives continued to gather at the venue.

Sharing a route map of the demonstration in a post on X, Rahul Gandhi urged citizens to join the march from Connaught Place or assemble directly at Ramlila Maidan. The protest aims to raise concerns over alleged deletions from electoral rolls, demand the replacement of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with paper ballots and seek the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

"Delhi, get ready! Save the Vote, Save the Nation. Come to Connaught Place, let's march together. Or meet directly at Ramlila Maidan - but you must come. #ChaloDilli," he posted.

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said, "Why is the BJP so worried about this rally? Yesterday it came to light that they are getting the chairs counted. The entire BJP is scared of this rally. There is anger against Gyanesh Kumar across the country, and the BJP is scared of this anger."

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP has launched a counter-demonstration in West Delhi to commemorate the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, accusing the Congress of organising a political rally on the anniversary of the violence.

The BJP's march is scheduled to proceed from Hari Nagar Bus Depot to Tilak Nagar Metro Station in West Delhi. It will be led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi BJP president, Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, Sardar H S Phoolka, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and MP Bansuri Swaraj, along with members of the Sikh community.