The INDIA bloc comes together with a protest march and a leadership dinner, united in their stand against what they call the BJP and ECI’s “vote chori” tactics in Bihar.
BY PC Bureau
Around 300 opposition MPs are set to march to the Election Commission of India (ECI) office on Monday to protest alleged poll rigging and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.The demonstration follows Rahul Gandhi’s recent accusations against the Election Commission, alleging collusion with the BJP in the ongoing electoral process.
Sources say that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc MPs will begin their protest march from Parliament at approximately 11:30 am. After the march, sources said the leaders plan to seek a meeting with the Election Commission. The march to Nirvachan Sadan, located just about 2 km from Parliament, marks one of the first joint protests by the INDIA bloc outside Parliament since the Lok Sabha election results in June last year.
On the same day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will host a dinner for MPs of the INDIA bloc at Hotel Taj Palace in Chanakyapuri, sources said. This comes amid a united effort by the opposition to push back against what they call the BJP-EC “vote chori model.”
वोट चोरी ‘एक व्यक्ति, एक वोट’ के बुनियादी लोकतांत्रिक सिद्धांत पर हमला है।
स्वतंत्र और निष्पक्ष चुनावों के लिए साफ़-सुथरी मतदाता सूची अनिवार्य है।
चुनाव आयोग से हमारी मांग साफ़ है – पारदर्शिता दिखाएं और डिजिटल मतदाता सूची सार्वजनिक करें, ताकि जनता और राजनीतिक दल उसका खुद ऑडिट… pic.twitter.com/BIahCz2YBb
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 10, 2025
This planned march from Parliament to the ECI office reflects growing opposition concerns over electoral manipulation in Bihar.
On the proposed march, Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat said, “We firmly believe in the democratic system… We support peaceful protests, demonstrations, and sit-ins. Tomorrow, all elected representatives and MPs will come together to hold a silent, yet powerful, protest to wake up the Election Commission”
READ: Facing Heat, ECI Changes Tune on Bihar’s Voter List Revision
Just days ago, top INDIA bloc leaders—including Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, Tiruchi Siva, M.A. Baby, D. Raja, Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Kamal Haasan—met at Rahul Gandhi’s residence. It was the bloc’s first in-person meeting since June 2024, shortly after the Lok Sabha elections.
At the meeting, Rahul Gandhi presented detailed allegations of a large-scale electoral fraud involving the BJP and the Election Commission, explaining the “vote chori” mechanism he says is undermining democracy.
The Congress described the meeting as a show of unity, reaffirming their commitment to fight electoral manipulation: “A united front against electoral manipulation! We are committed to protecting democracy and will save it from being destroyed at all costs.”
READ: Selective Silence? How TV Channels Muted Rahul’s Twin Attacks on ECI and BJP
Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, emphasized the opposition’s unified stance both in Parliament and at the meeting.
Opposition parties have been actively protesting the SIR exercise in Bihar, warning it risks disenfranchising many voters.
