The political affiliations of traders’ body office-bearers have come under scrutiny amid opposition to the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, October 28, 2026: A political contest over electoral integrity and the impact of protests on business is intensifying in Delhi ahead of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan. Traders’ bodies are urging Congress to reconsider the timing, while BJP president Nitin Nabin is leading a counter-march in Chandni Chowk on Wednesday, on the eve of Karwa Chauth, when thousands of shoppers are expected to throng markets across the capital for festive purchases.
The Opposition November 1 rally, titled “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao”, is aimed at highlighting allegations of electoral manipulation and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The BJP has rejected the Opposition’s campaign, setting the stage for competing political mobilisations over democracy, electoral integrity and public accountability.
The rally has come under pressure from two traders’ organisations, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), which have warned that protests, traffic restrictions and security arrangements could disrupt business during the crucial pre-Diwali shopping period.
CAIT is a BJP dominated body. Its secretary-general is BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal and its Chairman Mohan Agarwal is a party MP from Raipur , Chhattisgarh. Former Union minister Smriti Irani is advisor to CAIT.
Appealing to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to postpone the rally, Khandelwal has cited the potential impact on traders’ livelihoods and estimated that previous protest-related disruptions had cost Delhi businesses around ₹4,000 crore. CAIT has called for a balance between the right to protest and the need to keep commercial activity running during the festive season.
The CTI, led by Brijesh Goyal, has made a separate appeal to Gandhi and the Congress leadership. In a letter dated October 28, it sought a 20-minute meeting between Gandhi and representatives of 20 major markets, including Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli, Sadar Bazar and Karol Bagh.
READ: Rahul Gandhi Says Tata Being ‘Criminally Destroyed’, Targets Modi
Delhi: Preparations underway for BJP’s ‘Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy’ march from Red fort to Town hall; CM Rekha Gupta to participate https://t.co/v9OPXYk7aB
— News Arena India (@NewsArenaIndia) October 28, 2026
The organisation argued that the rally could affect customer movement and sales across markets located within a few kilometres of Ramlila Maidan. It warned of a possible business impact of up to ₹10,000 crore and cited earlier estimates of losses amounting to ₹3,000 crore during October protests.
Invoking Gandhi’s “mohabbat ki dukaan” slogan, the CTI appealed to him not to let the festive shopping season suffer. It proposed that the rally be reconsidered if traders could demonstrate the likely financial damage, suggesting that any postponement could be until after the festival period, including Dhanteras on November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhai Dooj on November 10.
Congress has acknowledged the traders’ concerns. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge said the leadership would consult its allies and consider the request, while stressing that the Opposition’s campaign was also intended to serve the public interest.
Gandhi, in turn, said he had heard the traders’ concerns but linked the protest to the demand for action against the Chief Election Commissioner. He argued that the agitation could end quickly if Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed Gyanesh Kumar. The rally remains scheduled for November 1, with Congress preparing for a large gathering.
The controversy has acquired an additional political dimension with Nabin leading the BJP’s “Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy” march through Chandni Chowk on Wednesday. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and other BJP leaders are expected to join the campaign, which the party is also organising in other parts of the country. Traffic restrictions have been imposed in connection with the march.
The BJP has positioned its campaign as a counter to the Opposition’s allegations of “vote chori”, accusing Congress of prioritising political confrontation. Congress, meanwhile, has questioned whether the BJP’s own procession through a major commercial district could cause the very disruption that traders have cited in opposing the November 1 rally.
Important: BJP TOOLKIT EXPOSED
The INDIA bloc is supposed to have a mega rally on 1st Nov at Ramlila Maidan protesting against ECI’s vote chori.
Since a few days, an org called “Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT)” has been opposing the rally claiming it will “hurt traders”.
But here’s what BJP is hiding:
👉 The Secretary-General of CAIT is BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal
👉 The advisor to CAIT is former BJP Minister Smriti Irani
It gets better:
👉 Today BJP President Nitin Nabin is holding a “protest” against the INDIA bloc rally and is claiming to be “in support of traders”
👉 Where’s the BJP President’s protest rally? In Chandani Chowk – which is the constituency of BJP MP & CAIT head Praveen Khandelwal
It is pathetic that BJP is hiding behind a trade organization run by their own MP & claiming that India Bloc protest will “affect traders”.
Traders across India are against vote chori. BJP needs a better toolkit than this shameful tactic.
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) October 28, 2026
The political overlap has put the concerns of Delhi’s trading community at the centre of a wider confrontation. CAIT has longstanding formal links to the BJP through Khandelwal’s political and organisational roles, while the CTI has pursued its own campaign against the proposed rally through letters and a request for direct talks with Gandhi. The two organisations are separate bodies, even though both have raised concerns about the economic consequences of political gatherings.
For traders dealing in spices, dry fruits, jewellery, electronics, garments and other goods, the period before Diwali is among the busiest of the year. Road closures, traffic diversions and security restrictions could affect customer access and sales at a time when businesses are seeking to maximise festive demand.
However, the fact the the BJP is holding a protest march on Karwa Chauk and the tarders have no objection to it, shows the politcs behind the counter mobilisation. Chandni Chowk is considered one of the largest wholesale markets in Asia with 6 lakh footfall every day. ” DO TRADERS SUFFER ONLY WHEN OTHERS PROTESTS?, A post on X said.
Karwa Chauth shopping reaches a peak on the eve of the festival, when last-minute shoppers throng markets to buy puja essentials, earthen pots (karwas), decorated thalis, sieves, cosmetics, bangles, bindis, mehendi, jewellery, sarees, suits and other festive accessories.
Chandni Chowk and its adjoining markets, known for bridal wear, ethnic clothing, jewellery, cosmetics and traditional items, attract shoppers preparing for the fast and evening rituals. A political march and traffic restrictions on such a day could disrupt access to shops, reduce customer footfall and affect sales during a crucial festive shopping window, although no verified estimate of losses from the BJP march is available.
The immediate question is whether Congress will proceed with the rally as planned or agree to the traders’ request for a change in timing. Beyond that decision, the parallel mobilisations expose a broader political contest over who speaks for the public interest: the Opposition, which says electoral integrity is at stake, or traders who argue that political protests should not jeopardise livelihoods during the festive season.
