New Delhi, Nov 26 Even as the Opposition-ruled states going for polls next year witness massive protests amidst the second phase of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi remains largely out of public view.
While the Congress leader has confined himself to raising the occasional issue on social media, there has been no reference by the protesting INDIA allies to his earlier so-called "exposure bombs" at the time of Bihar Assembly election.
Since the announcement of results of Bihar polls, Rahul has been missing from public view. Unverified social‑media posts had earlier claimed his sighting at London's Heathrow airport, but other Congress leaders dismissed these.
However, of late, he has been meeting some Congress leaders and is also said to have been confabulating with the topmost party hierarchy on the current crisis in Karnataka.
The high command faces renewed squabbling for leadership in Karnataka where the Congress is in power.
One reason being attributed to his absence is the Congress’ poor performance in Bihar. Others claim it being part of his usual failure in pursuing a movement or an issue over longer periods.
Additionally, there are also talks of an apparent dejection over allies’ rejection for crediting him with the “vote chori” slogan.
Meanwhile, despite the poll body’s repeated denials and reiteration of assurances by providing statistics, West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress has launched multiple anti‑SIR agitations spearheaded by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The party has raised allegations of several Election Commission’s Booth Level Officers (BLO) frequently falling sick, even losing life, from work pressure and voters committing suicide in fear of losing electoral rights.
With the Winter Session of Parliament beginning next month, it has now planned an anti‑SIR movement in Delhi, including a scheduled visit by its delegation to the Election Commission's office.
Party insiders do not rule out the chances of a demonstration in front of the poll body office or outside Parliament as well. They apprehend a repeat of the tense drama that took place in 2023 outside the Agriculture Ministry in central Delhi over allotment of MNREGA funds.
Meanwhile, Kerala too is seeing multiple SIR protests led by the state's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) partners and legal petitions that have prompted Supreme Court notices and hearings.
Like West Bengal, BLOs have staged protests and raised alarms over heavy workloads and unrealistic targets during the SIR enumeration phase with similar allegations of deaths.
Kerala government employees and local officials have held protests and pickets outside state electoral offices to press for a postponement of SIR until local body polls conclude.
The state's Opposition alliance of United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress, too publicly criticised the SIR timetable and signalled coordinated political action and non‑cooperation if the schedule is not adjusted.
In Tamil Nadu, statewide protests against SIR have been coordinated by the DMK and the allies of the Secular Progressive government it leads.
BLO and revenue‑staff have boycotted the process with legal petitions filed against the SIR exercise.
Major actions include DMK‑led statewide rallies, actor Vijay’s TVK organising district protests, planned revenue‑staff boycotts and petitions reaching the courts.
The Congress dilemma in these states in directly aligning with the protests is that while in West Bengal and Kerala, it is among the Opposition, it remains a minor partner in Tamil Nadu's Secular Progressive Alliance, winning 10 of the 25 seats it contested among the states 234-member Assembly.
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