Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will host a lunch meeting for INDIA bloc MPs in Delhi on Wednesday, a day after a major Opposition protest over allegations of “vote chori” ended with Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders being detained. The meeting is scheduled for 1.30 pm at Sagar Ratna on Janpath and is expected to focus on the alliance’s next course of action and its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The meeting follows a day of protests in which Opposition MPs marched from Parliament House towards the Election Commission amid heavy police barricading. The demonstration was organised as part of the Opposition’s campaign over allegations of electoral manipulation. The INDIA bloc has been seeking action on the issue and has intensified its criticism of the Election Commission and its leadership.

Rahul Gandhi, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress MPs, entered the Akashvani Bhawan premises after the march was stopped. The building is located around 200 metres from the Election Commission office. The leaders continued their protest there, insisting that they should be allowed to meet the election commissioners and present their concerns.

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The sit-in lasted for more than eight hours and continued until after 8pm. Police personnel eventually removed Rahul Gandhi and other protesters from the premises and took them away in police vans and buses. There were scenes of jostling between the protesters and police during the detention, while police said nearly 250 people were taken into custody.

Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, a Samajwadi Party MP, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and other leaders were taken in different vehicles to police stations. The detained leaders were released after 10pm, bringing an end to the day-long confrontation following the Opposition’s march towards the Election Commission.

Kharge’s lunch meeting is expected to provide the INDIA bloc with an opportunity to discuss the events of Tuesday and coordinate its response. The alliance is likely to consider further political and parliamentary action as it continues to press its allegations and demand Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. The meeting also comes as Opposition parties seek to maintain a coordinated campaign on the issue.

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