Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has invited INDIA bloc MPs, civil society members and student organisations for a high tea at his residence on Tuesday, sources said. The meeting is set to follow a joint press conference by INDIA leaders in the afternoon.
The invitation comes a day after opposition leaders, activists and civil society members held a “March for Democracy” in the national capital and moved the Supreme Court over the vote theft charge, the Special Intensive Revision and alleged poll irregularities.
According to sources, the joint press conference will be followed by tea at Gandhi’s 5, Sunehri Bagh Road residence. The invite said, “Following today’s March for Democracy and the submission of the petition … a joint press conference of INDIA leaders will be held tomorrow afternoon, followed by tea. ‘I invite you to join me at my residence at 5, Sunehri Bagh Road, New Delhi, at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, 13th October’,” the invite read.
On Monday, a large number of protesters carrying flags and posters gathered in Connaught Place as part of the opposition’s show of strength. Among those who joined the march were Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, CPI’s D Raja, CPI-M leader M A Baby, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule.
During the march, protesters breached one barricade at Bhagwan Dass Road but were stopped at a second barricade on the same road. Later, senior INDIA bloc leaders went to the Supreme Court to file a joint petition. The petition has made the Election Commission of India, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi parties in the case.
The latest development also came a day after the Chief Justice of India declined a request for a meeting with the Leaders of Opposition on the issue, saying the matter is sub judice. With the court petition filed and another round of political outreach planned, the opposition is continuing its campaign on the issue.
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