Breaking: Rahul Gandhi faces BJP attack over Nov 1 rally, traders seek postponement
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, October 24, 2026: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has come under attack from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the INDIA bloc’s proposed rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1, with a traders’ body also urging him to defer the event over concerns about business disruption.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised Gandhi over the rally’s timing, citing a letter written by the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) in Delhi seeking postponement in the interest of traders. Prasad alleged that Gandhi was unwilling to listen to the concerns of ordinary citizens and the trading community.
The traders’ body has warned that the rally could disrupt commercial activity in markets around Ramlila Maidan during the festive season and urged Gandhi to reschedule it for after Bhai Dooj.
Meanwhile, the Congress is pressing ahead with preparations for the rally, which the INDIA bloc is organising to protest against alleged “vote chori” and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said on Saturday that the party had held meetings with office-bearers and leaders from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to review mobilisation efforts. The Congress has projected the rally as a major show of opposition unity and said it expects a large turnout at Ramlila Maidan.
Congress leaders have accused the Election Commission of India of undermining electoral fairness through the revision exercise. These allegations have become a central focus of the opposition’s campaign.
The November 1 date has also become part of the political debate because it marks the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh violence. Prasad questioned Gandhi’s decision to hold the rally on that date, invoking the painful memories associated with the violence.
The dispute has thus widened beyond the rally’s stated political purpose to include its timing, the potential impact on traders and the sensitivities surrounding the anniversary.
The rally remains scheduled for November 1, with Congress continuing its preparations as the BJP and the traders’ body raise objections.