The Haryana Congress has launched an extensive mobilisation drive across the state to ensure a large turnout at the INDIA bloc’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1, with MPs, MLAs, former ministers, former legislators and party functionaries assigned responsibilities to bring workers and supporters to the capital.
The party is particularly focusing on the National Capital Region (NCR), where leaders have been tasked with mobilising supporters and coordinating transport and other logistical arrangements for the gathering. Preparations are being overseen by Haryana Congress in-charge Sanjay Dutt and state unit president Rao Narender Singh.
The mobilisation exercise covers all 22 districts and follows a strategy meeting chaired by Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal at the party headquarters in New Delhi on October 23.
District and block-level office-bearers, sitting MPs and MLAs, former legislators, former ministers and candidates who contested the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections have been brought into the exercise.
‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ campaign reaches grassroots
The state leadership has directed party workers to take the Congress’s ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ campaign to districts, blocks, villages and polling booths, while encouraging farmers, labourers, young people, students, women and other sections of society to attend the rally.
The November 1 gathering is part of the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s nationwide campaign against what the opposition describes as ‘vote chori’. The alliance has raised allegations of irregularities in electoral rolls and expressed concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, demanding accountability from the Election Commission.
The Congress has also linked its campaign in Haryana to questions surrounding the outcome of the 2024 state Assembly elections, alleging that concerns over electoral transparency require a credible investigation.
The opposition alliance is seeking to make the rally a major demonstration of unity and pressure the Election Commission over its handling of electoral rolls. The Congress has also called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s removal.
Leaders expect large turnout from Haryana
Congress leaders have expressed confidence that the mobilisation drive will draw a substantial crowd from the state.
Ambala MP Varun Choudhary said his constituency had responded enthusiastically to the call for participation.
“We are fully prepared for this rally and it is an effort to save the Election Commission and democratic system in the country. There is a huge response to this rally from my constituency as people are excited to reach New Delhi,” Choudhary said.
Leader of Opposition in the Haryana Assembly and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also predicted a large turnout, crediting Rahul Gandhi’s appeal for the expected participation.
“Lakhs of people from Haryana are expected to attend this rally on the call of Rahul Gandhi. We are fully prepared to make this rally a big success,” Hooda said.
He said the rally was particularly significant at a time when the Election Commission’s credibility was being questioned, adding that the concerns amounted to a direct threat to the country’s democratic system.
INDIA bloc intensifies campaign over electoral rolls
The November 1 rally is part of the opposition bloc’s broader effort to highlight alleged electoral irregularities and demand greater accountability from the Election Commission. The Congress has questioned the process of revising voter lists under the SIR exercise and raised concerns about the deletion of eligible voters’ names.
The Delhi Police has granted permission for the rally at Ramlila Maidan, clearing the way for the opposition alliance to hold the gathering in the national capital.
For the Haryana Congress, the immediate priority is to coordinate district-level mobilisation and ensure that workers and supporters can travel to Delhi. The party hopes the turnout will strengthen its campaign on electoral transparency and demonstrate the scale of opposition support for its demands.