Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi at the CWC meeting in New Delhi. File
| Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP
Top leaders of the INDIA bloc are meeting in the national capital on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) to discuss pressing issues, particularly focusing on irregularities surrounding the SIR exercise, and to finalise a high-stakes action plan for a nationwide joint agitation against the Election Commission (EC).
Fight for CEC’s resignation
The primary agenda of the meeting is to finalise an action plan for a joint protest against the EC, specifically targeting the alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and pushing for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
A draft notice has been prepared to introduce a motion both in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the CEC’s removal and various leaders are expected to contribute suggestions during the upcoming deliberations.
Key leaders attending the high-stakes meet
Several key leaders and the Congress party leadership met in New Delhi on September 30.
Key participants include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K. C. Venugopal, along with TMC leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. Leaders from various parties such as the SP, CPI, CPI(M), NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) are also in attendance.
Which allies are skipping INDIA bloc meeting
Some notable allies will not participate in the meeting. Both the DMK and AAP have made clear that they will not attend. Moreover, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will also not attend on account of nominations for Rajya Sabha polls in UP, though he will be sending representatives in his stead.
Speaking about the meeting, Mr. Venugopal said, “Tomorrow, there is an INDIA bloc meeting. The Congress wants to hold a massive agitation to save democracy in the country with the help of all political parties. There will be valuable suggestions from leaders of the INDIA bloc tomorrow; after that we will sit and formalise the clear action plan for the future agitation.”
Asked about Mr. Yadav not coming to the meeting, Mr. Venugpal said, “I spoke to Akhilesh Yadav, Congress president Malikarjun Kharge also spoke to him. He has Rajya Sabha election nominations to take care of but his party leaders are attending.”
Asked whether attempts would be made to get parties like the DMK and AAP on board, Mr. Venugopal said those types of issues would be discussed.
“The DMK was very much part of INDIA bloc. Still we believe they are all against this type of attack on democracy. That is our thinking, let us see,” he added.
On the INDIA bloc meeting, DMK spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan said, “Ideologically, we all stand together. Maybe we are not part of the INDIA alliance. That is different. But in Parliament, we will support whoever brings a removal motion against Gyanesh Kumar… our leader had issued a statement. On many of the issues where other opposition parties oppose the BJP, we will also stand by them. That doesn’t mean that we are together. We are not in the INDIA bloc.”
The issue of alleged irregularities in the SIR is being seen by the opposition INDIA bloc as an opportunity to close ranks and corner the government.
The meeting comes days after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.
The last meeting of the INDIA bloc had taken place on June 8.
(With PTI inputs)
Published – September 30, 2026 12:03 pm IST
