The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing a coordinated counter-offensive, including protests and a nationwide outreach campaign, as the Congress-led INDIA alliance readies for its “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao” mega-rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1.
The opposition bloc has billed the event as a major mobilisation against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly appealed to students, youth, farmers, workers, women and traders to join the “Chalo Delhi” march, describing it as a fight for democracy and the Constitution rather than a party-specific programme. In one recent message, he urged students not to fear police action, asserting that the BJP “will not have the guts to try any of their antics.”
BJP leaders have sharply criticised the choice of date, noting that November 1 marks the anniversary of the beginning of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad earlier accused Rahul Gandhi of being “adamant” and of seeking to “rub salt into the wounds” of riot victims.
Delhi BJP units and ministers have announced a parallel march in the Sikh-dominated Hari Nagar area on the same day, expected to involve several thousand participants, including survivors and family members of 1984 victims, and to be led by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. Senior leaders have framed the counter-program as a defense of Sikh sentiments.
Beyond the capital, the BJP is launching a month-long campaign of padyatras and public outreach under the theme of “Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy,” beginning November 1. Top leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah (scheduled for events in Hyderabad and Karnal in the following days), chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and other senior figures are expected to participate. Party sources have indicated that the campaign will focus on poll-bound states and will counter what the BJP calls a “false and misleading narrative,” shifting emphasis from a detailed defence of the SIR process to accusations of street disruption and anarchy.
The ruling party has also highlighted concerns raised by traders’ associations about potential business losses during the festive period, traffic restrictions and related disruptions. An official BJP post on social media earlier declared, “Sorry to break it to you, all anti-Indian forces, BUT Modi kahi nahi jayega (Modi won’t go anywhere),” in response to related opposition remarks.
Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal has described the November 1 programme as the party’s biggest mobilisation yet against “vote chori.” Opposition leaders are also holding a “public impeachment” of the CEC on October 30 ahead of the rally. With both sides mobilising on the same day, Delhi is set for a direct political confrontation between the Ramlila Maidan gathering and the BJP’s parallel programmes.