INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other opposition leaders, arrived at the Constitutional Club of India for a key meeting on Wednesday.
The leaders are set to discuss their strategy over the controversy surrounding decisions related to the SIR process. Opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
A draft notice for a fresh bid to move a motion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was ready and would be deliberated upon for approval at the meeting, news agency PTI reported citing sources.
The INDIA bloc meeting comes a day after the Congress CWC discussed SIR and the functioning of the Election Commission. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also raised concerns over the electoral process and criticised CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The Samajwadi Party is expected to be represented by Harendra Malik.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are also among the leaders expected to participate. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren is likely to join the meeting through video conference, while Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is also expected to attend virtually.
The meeting is also likely to see participation from NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, CPM leader MA Baby, CPI leader D Raja and CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya.
Other leaders expected to join include RSP leader N K Premachandran, IUML leader Sadiq Thangal, VCK chief Thirumavalavan, and MDMK leader D Vaiko. Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal is also expected to be present at the INDIA bloc meeting, according to ANI.
The meeting comes days after the Congress Working Committee demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, while reiterating its call for Kumar’s removal. The party has also demanded suspension of the SIR exercise and restoration of the 13.30 crore names it says have been deleted from electoral rolls.
Ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting today, hoardings targeting leaders of opposition parties were also put up in central Delhi.
