'Vote Chori' Row: Congress Announces 3-Phase Nationwide Campaign Against Election Commission Of India

Congress on Monday announced a three-phase nationwide campaign against what it calls “Vote Chori”, with party leaders directing workers to intensify protests and grassroots outreach against the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi attended a meeting of the party's general secretaries, in-charges, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents and frontal organisations on October 5.

Venugopal said Kharge directed state-level leaders to launch an “aggressive” nationwide campaign against alleged electoral irregularities, under the slogan “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao”. He claimed the current election system was threatening democracy and called on Congress and like-minded parties to resist it.

Gandhi told party leaders that the agitation would continue until Gyanesh Kumar was removed from his post and changes were made to the electoral system.

Three-phase campaign

The first phase, already underway from October 2 to 8, involves district-level demonstrations, marches and “Safe Democracy” campaigns. Venugopal said Congress units in several states have also coordinated programmes with INDIA bloc partners.

The second phase will run from October 10 to 20, with Congress organising grassroots campaigns under the “Desh Bachao, Vote Bachao” slogan. Block-level Congress committees have been directed to hold either bike rallies, cycle rallies or padayatras, with district committees monitoring the programmes.

Venugopal said Congress workers would also distribute pamphlets detailing the party's allegations of “vote chori”, including in areas where Navratri celebrations are being held. The party also plans to burn effigies of Gyanesh Kumar during the campaign.

The third and longest phase will run from October 25 to November 25 and focus on village-level outreach. Venugopal said Congress plans to identify voters it claims were deleted from electoral rolls and conduct village-level Chaupals with them.

He said party workers, referred to by Congress as “vote trackers”, would visit the homes of people whose names were allegedly removed from voter lists and conduct outreach in the affected areas.

Venugopal said the month-long campaign would extend from the booth and village levels to the grassroots across the country, with senior Congress leaders also participating.