Does Congress Doubt Its Allies? Why INDIA Bloc Stayed Away from ‘Vote Chor, Gadi Chhod’ Rally

New Delhi: Congress's "Vote Chor-Gaddi Chhod" rally to be held on December 14 at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi remains the main topic of political discussion. Congress has described this rally as a platform to express its anger over the voter list and “vote theft” across the country, but some allies are not supporting it at the moment. 

What is the purpose of the rally?

The Congress party is saying that it has to bring forward the voices of those voters inside and outside the party who do not believe that the voting is being completely fair. The party argues that actions like irregularities in the voter list, duplicate voters, and removal of names of opposition supporters have dented democracy, and this rally is being organized against this. 

What is the stance of the INDI alliance parties'?

Elsewhere it has also come to light that the major INDIA coalition parties have not been formally invited for this Congress rally. This means that there are differences of opinion among the allies within the alliance regarding political strategy, especially in view of the upcoming elections. 

Who will participate in the rally?

Top Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and other senior leaders will participate in the rally. These leaders have described “vote theft” as a national-level issue and termed it a threat to democracy. 

National-level support and response

Many MLAs and ministers from Karnataka have also indicated to participate in this protest, due to which this rally is not limited to Delhi only but seems to be taking the form of national support. 

What did the opponents say?

BJP and pro-government leaders have described the rally and allegations of “vote theft” as political drama. Home Minister Amit Shah and other leaders have said that the talk of fraud in elections is a serious allegation, but Congress should introspect on such allegations.

What broader controversy is this matter related to?

The “vote theft” or “vote thief” campaign is a long-standing issue raised by the Congress and specifically relates to complaints received regarding the electoral roll (SIR). The party believes that the Election Commission has not been impartial, and this rally is an attempt to highlight this sentiment at the national level.