Within less than 24 hours of the Election Commission of India declaring dates for the Lok Sabha elections, the I.N.D.I.A alliance will hold a mega rally at Shivaji Park on Sunday evening with several heavyweights attending it. The leaders include Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka (Congress), Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena - UBT), Sharad Pawar (NCP faction) ,Tamil Nadu C.M. M.K. Stalin (DMK), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and Tejaswai Yadav (RJD) and others. The rally will provide a platform to the national opposition to launch a frontal attack on the ruling BJP.
BJP's setback in electoral bonds issue and CAA controversy
It is being held in the background of the severe setback which the BJP suffered in the Supreme Court ruling on the electoral bonds issue and the CAA issue which has created a massive controversy with even foreign government's slamming the move.
All parties are pulling out all stops to mobilise a mammoth crowd at the historic maidan with a large statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in the backdrop. Efforts are being made to particular mobile Dalit and Muslim voters in huge numbers.
Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
Officially the rally marks the culmination of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Gandhi addressed large gatherings in Malegaon, Bhiwandi, Thane and Dharavi. He paid respects to the memory of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar at the Chaityabhoomi in Dadar.
Earlier, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh targeted the BJP at a press meet in Thane. He said the electoral bonds scam has exposed the BJP completely. He alleged that the party had used ED and other agencies to extort money from businessmen through the bonds. He said once the serial numbers of the bonds are known and their links to the beneficiaries are exposed then a bigger scam will unfold in the country.
