INDIA bloc leaders agree to coordinate pressure on Election Commission
Leaders of India’s Opposition INDIA alliance agreed to develop a joint schedule of protests and programmes aimed at pressuring the Election Commission, according to India Today. The meeting projected unity while acknowledging state-level rivalries, and included calls to reach beyond the bloc to other parties opposed to the BJP.
Leaders of India’s Opposition INDIA alliance agreed at a meeting on Wednesday to coordinate protests and programmes aimed at putting pressure on the Election Commission, according to India Today. The meeting was described as more consensual than previous gatherings, which had sometimes featured disagreements or walkouts. Leaders spoke in turn and presented a united front at the subsequent press conference, while discussions focused on building momentum for the political fight ahead.
A senior leader quoted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as saying the issue required a united struggle for the survival of democracy. Mr. Gandhi also acknowledged that parties within the alliance compete against one another in some States, including Kerala, and said they could hold separate protests under the same slogan where necessary.
The report said Mr. Gandhi made strong criticisms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the meeting. These comments were attributed to people present and were not independently verified in the supplied material.
The account also said he predicted further disclosures and claimed the Prime Minister was under pressure. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the alliance to contact parties outside its formal structure that oppose the BJP, according to a source cited by India Today. She reportedly referred to coordination with the Left despite political rivalry and said she had spoken to the Biju Janata Dal about the issue.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah raised concerns about public confidence in elections, the report said. He was quoted as recalling his father’s support for participation in elections while questioning whether voters could now regard the process as credible. Sources said the meeting reached a broad consensus on collective action and pressure for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
It also reportedly heard the Congress position that the Prime Minister and Home Minister should resign. The supplied material does not include responses from the government or Election Commission.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.