INDIA Bloc EC protest: win some, lose some; DMK, AAP stay away, expose rift, alliance gets BJD support

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, Oct 6 (UNI) While the INDIA bloc staged a protest march to the Election Commission of India (ECI) headquarters on Tuesday, divisions within the Opposition alliance were evident, with parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staying away. Led by Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the protest was attended by prominent INDIA bloc leaders, including Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party.

The presence of the SP leadership suggested that the two parties remain on the same page as they prepare to take on the BJP collectively in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. Top leaders from Mamata Barerjee's Trinamool Congress and other parties were also present and so were those from Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD), despite the party not being a formal part of the opposition bloc. While upset with the Congress for supporting rival TVK, the DMK continues to maintain firm opposition to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar-a stance Congress and other opposition parties are also taking.

The southern party is questioning Gandhi's "silence" regarding voter deletions under the SIR exercise in Tamil Nadu and not endorsing Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's call for dissolving state governments formed after the process. According to the DMK, Gandhi was "silent because he did not want to upset Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay and his TVK," with which the Congress entered an alliance overlooking the long-standing partner in Tamil Nadu, the DMK, following the last Assembly election. Congress ignores issues in states where election results favour its new political partnerships, they said.

However, when it comes to Gyanesh Kumar, their stance is clear, that he should step down from the post, they added. AAP, too, was not present because it is pursuing its own independent campaign. Observers say its absence was more to do with the upcoming Punjab elections, as the party did not want to be seen sharing a platform with Congress-its main rival in the poll-bound state. Sharing a stage in Delhi would have directly undermined the local campaigns against the rival, they explain.

Meanwhile, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said their battle against SIR irregularities will continue. Interestingly, while BJP leaders invoked Lord Ganesh to attack the Opposition, they largely concentrated on Congress and Rahul Gandhi. While Gandhi with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other leaders staged a sit-in inside the Akashvani Bhavan premises after police blocked their march towards the ECI headquarters, the BJP accused the Congress of "lying" and "spreading confusion over the EC, SIR and other democratic institutions" to "relaunch" him. In fact, union Minister Kiren Rijiju specifically asked the Congress and Gandhi to stop their "daily drama" over the EC and their criticism of the Supreme Court. "This drama has been going on continuously since 2014. How long will this continue?" Rijiju said.

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