Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged Opposition parties to set aside their differences and pursue broader mobilisation against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Speaking at a meeting of INDIA bloc parties, Banerjee stressed that what she described as an extraordinary situation required an extraordinary response and called for coordinated action against the BJP and its policies.

As many as 20 INDIA bloc parties attended the meeting and finalised a joint action plan that includes rallies and “save democracy” marches. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the parties had agreed that elections should be conducted using ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines. The meeting also focused on the functioning of the Election Commission and possible legal and political responses to the SIR exercise.

Banerjee referred to recent discussions with CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby, who had reached out to several non-NDA parties seeking a coordinated response to the Election Commission row. She said she had responded positively to Baby and had also spoken to other Opposition leaders, including BJD chief Naveen Patnaik. Baby, at the meeting, called for the Opposition to unite on the issue and involve civil society members and public intellectuals committed to secular and democratic principles.

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Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also addressed the gathering and urged Opposition leaders to remain confident. He is learnt to have claimed that the BJP was under pressure and that the political “system” was beginning to crumble. Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, meanwhile, proposed pursuing legal action alongside public demonstrations. According to sources, Sibal suggested that Opposition MPs jointly approach the Supreme Court seeking an early hearing of pending petitions related to the SIR.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which have distanced themselves from the INDIA bloc, did not attend Wednesday’s meeting. However, they are learnt to have agreed to support a fresh Opposition notice seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CPI(M) general secretary Baby met AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday, while TMC’s Derek O’Brien met AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday as efforts continued to broaden support.

The Opposition outreach has also included discussions between leaders of other parties. DMK leader Kanimozhi met Banerjee in Kolkata on September 17, while talks between Opposition leaders have continued over a coordinated response to the SIR process. The developments come amid growing political disagreement over electoral-roll revision and the Election Commission, with Opposition parties pursuing a combination of protests, legal action and parliamentary measures.

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