What began as a joint INDIA bloc protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday ended with an unexpected flashpoint within the opposition alliance.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s
“impromptu” decision to enter the Akashvani Bhavan premises and continue the protest reportedly left some INDIA bloc allies unhappy, with questions being raised over coordination and the Congress leadership’s decision-making, The Indian Express reported.
The Gandhi siblings’ move helped keep the Opposition protest alive for several hours after several INDIA bloc leaders had been detained and taken away in buses. But it also left some allies unhappy, with leaders questioning why the Congress leadership had not consulted or informed them before changing the course of the protest.
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The episode has added to concerns among INDIA bloc parties about coordination within the opposition alliance, with some allies feeling that the Congress and the Gandhi siblings ended up taking centre stage in what was meant to be a joint protest.
What Happened At Akashvani Bhavan?
The INDIA bloc MPs had marched towards the Election Commission office in Delhi on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over their allegations of “vote chori”.
As police detained opposition leaders and put them into buses, the protest appeared to be winding down.
Rahul Gandhi, however, returned towards a bus parked near Akashvani Bhavan, where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seated. The two then walked past the police and entered the Akashvani Bhavan premises. The move caught not only the police but also several Congress leaders by surprise.
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News18 had reported earlier that Congress leaders too were unaware of the siblings’ plans and noted that the initial idea was to get inside the Akashvani Bhavan premises and potentially use its rear exit, which is located towards the Election Commission side. With routes to the poll panel blocked, the diversion offered an unexpected way to keep the protest going.
Once inside, the Gandhi siblings turned what had appeared to be the end of the opposition protest into another standoff with the police.
Congress leaders subsequently credited the move with preventing the protest from ending, with a leader telling The Indian Express that the “protest would have been over if they didn’t do this”.
Why Are INDIA Allies Unhappy?
While the move gave the Congress protest renewed momentum, some INDIA bloc allies were reportedly unhappy with the manner in which it was carried out.
According to The Indian Express, some opposition leaders felt “mistreated” because Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi effectively took over the spotlight by staging the sit-in inside Akashvani Bhavan.
The issue was not merely the decision to enter the premises. Some allies were also unhappy that the Congress had decided to seek a meeting with the Election Commission without consulting them.
The Congress subsequently moved to contain the fallout. According to the report, Congress leader KC Venugopal conveyed to INDIA bloc parties that the party leadership had acted on the spur of the moment and expressed regret over the “mistrust” caused by not keeping the allies in the loop.
The TMC leaders reached the All India Radio office only after calls from the Congress, The Indian Express reported.
Not The First Coordination Problem
The latest episode has also revived concerns among INDIA bloc partners about the Congress taking unilateral decisions during joint opposition programmes.
The alliance parties have repeatedly attempted to project unity in their campaign against the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote chori”.
Tuesday’s protest saw participation from several opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, RJD, CPI(M) and others. The BJD, which has maintained equidistance from the NDA and INDIA bloc, also sent two MPs to participate in the march. However, the DMK and AAP stayed away from the protest.
The Gandhi siblings’ dramatic Akashvani move ultimately ensured that the protest continued for hours, with several opposition leaders later joining them inside the premises. But the episode has also exposed the continuing challenge before the INDIA bloc: maintaining a common political line while ensuring that individual parties—particularly the Congress as the alliance’s largest opposition force—do not appear to dictate the agenda.
