With 15k cadre in tow, Cong plans mega anti-SIR rally in Delhi on Nov 1 | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has set a target of mobilising nearly 15,000 Congress leaders and workers from Telangana for the INDIA bloc’s mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Nov 1 against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Telangana Congress president Mahesh Kumar Goud said AICC general secretary KC Venugopal spoke to him and CM Revanth to coordinate arrangements and mobilise party leaders and workers for the rally.

Revanth has directed the state Congress leadership to ensure a massive turnout from Telangana in response to the call given by the AICC leadership. Leaders including CM Revanth Reddy, deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, state ministers, TPCC president, district Congress presidents, councillors, corporators and sarpanches are expected to travel to Delhi towards the end of Oct to participate in the rally.The rally, titled “Chalo Delhi! Save the Vote, Save the Country: Public March and Mega Rally,” has been called by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to oppose the SIR exercise and protect voting rights. Rahul has appealed to students, farmers, workers, women, youth and traders, as well as everyone concerned about democracy, to participate in the programme, stating that the vote belongs to the people and that the fight to protect it is also theirs.During a meeting recently, Revanth accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of attempting to create two categories of citizens — the wealthy who retain their voting rights and the poor who risk losing them. He alleged that the electoral revision exercise was being used to undermine democratic rights and weaken the participation of disadvantaged sections in the electoral process.The CM claimed that nearly 13 crore votes had been deleted across the country and that the electorate had declined from 97 crore in 2024 to a projected 84 crore for the 2029 elections. Questioning the figures, he asked how the number of voters could fall despite the country’s growing population.Revanth further alleged that the BJP-led Centre was using the SIR exercise to counter growing public opposition, concerns over unemployment and protests among Gen Z. Drawing a parallel with the historic opposition to the Simon Commission during British rule, Revanth said the campaign against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would develop into a movement to protect democracy. He called upon Congress leaders and workers to raise the slogan “Gyanesh Go Back” during the Nov 1 rally.Revanth also urged Telangana Congress leaders to ensure a strong presence at Ramlila Maidan, saying the state should demonstrate the same organisational strength it had recently displayed in Sircilla.The chief minister said the rally would intensify the Congress campaign to protect the voting rights of the poor and strengthen the party’s efforts to return to power at the Centre in 2029.