On March 31, at Ramlila Ground, the opposition is gearing up for a significant confrontation as the INDIA bloc plans to conduct a rally protesting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. Joining the rally will be prominent figures including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former President Rahul Gandhi, along with top leaders from 11 other opposition parties.
This marks the inaugural public gathering of INDIA bloc leaders since the coalition’s establishment on June 23 last year in Patna. Despite prior intentions, such as announcing a public rally in Bhopal alongside the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections last September, tangible events failed to materialize. Recent endeavors, including one in Patna following RJD’s Jan Vishwas Rally last month and the March 17 rally in Mumbai concluding Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, witnessed limited attendance from opposition ranks.
The Trinamool Congress, which stood firm on retaining all its seats, will also make its presence felt at the event. Representing the party will be Trinamool’s Rajya Sabha leader, Derek O’Brien. Confirmed attendees include Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, NCP veteran Sharad Pawar, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. The Left parties will be in full force, with General Secretaries from four left-wing parties—CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), and Forward Bloc—participating. The DMK will be represented by the party’s Rajya Sabha leader, Tiruchi Siva.
Opposition parties did not take a comparable action when former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested.
AAP has obtained approval from the relevant authorities to hold the rally at the Ramleela ground on Sunday, with an expected attendance of over 20,000 people, in light of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, he stated.
He mentioned that the decision on whether Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, will address the ‘Maharally’ will be made at a later time.
