INDIA bloc meeting today: anti-SIR protest, CEC's resignation on agenda
What's the story
The INDIA bloc will hold a crucial meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday. The agenda includes finalizing plans for a joint protest against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Sources told PTI that a draft notice for a fresh attempt to move motions in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seeking Kumar's removal was ready. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11:00am.
Attendance
DMK, AAP to skip meeting
Top leaders from various political parties are likely to attend the meeting. These include Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal, All India Trinamool Congress leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
However, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have decided not to attend.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will also miss the meeting due to Rajya Sabha election nominations in Uttar Pradesh but will send representatives.
Protest plans
CWC meeting demanded Kumar's resignation
The meeting comes a day after a Congress Working Committee meeting where Kharge demanded Kumar's resignation, calling him a "puppet" of the Narendra Modi government.
Venugopal said they want to plan a "massive agitation" with opposition parties' support and that suggestions from INDIA bloc leaders would be used to finalize the future course of action.
"We will coordinate between the INDIA bloc agitation program and that of the Congress," he told reporters.
Support expressed
DMK will support whoever brings removal motion: Spokesperson
The DMK, which has opted out of the INDIA bloc after Congress ended its alliance with them, has said it will support a removal motion against Kumar in Parliament.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said, "Ideologically, we all stand together... But in Parliament, we will support whoever brings a removal motion against Gyanesh Kumar."
Common concern
SIR issue has united opposition parties
The meetings are being held after the Indian Express published on September 23 an explosive investigation report, revealing that two Election Commissioners had placed their objections on record at least 14 times in 10 months over some aspects of the SIR exercise.
The Election Commission has responded by saying that differing views were normal within its deliberations and maintained that the final decisions taken have been "unanimous."