Gandhi siblings’ impromptu sit‑in at Akashvani Bhavan sparks rift in INDIA bloc

Congress figures Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra turned the INDIA bloc march into a surprise sit‑in at the All India Radio headquarters, leaving many allied parties irritated. ## What Happened About two hundred opposition MPs assembled at Parliament’s Makar Dwar before heading to the Election Commission’s office to press for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over a special voter‑roll revision. Delhi police blocked all routes to the EC building and, as the crowd reached Akashvani Bhavan, senior opposition leaders including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were taken away on buses to police stations. The Gandhi pair entered the complex intending to slip out through a rear gate opposite the EC office, but police locked the gate, prompting them and fellow Congress members such as KC Venugopal, Pawan Khera and poet‑MP Imran Pratapgarhi to launch a sit‑in that lasted several hours. They were detained late at night and released later; an FIR has now been lodged. ## Reaction Congress officials called the sit‑in “spontaneous” and said the plan was not shared with allies, a point echoed by KC Venugopal who apologized for the mistrust it created. Several allies described the episode as a “Rahul Gandhi show” and questioned the wisdom of seeking a meeting with the Election Commission while demanding the CEC’s resignation. A Left MP noted that the allies would not have agreed to such a meeting. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge will host a lunch for the bloc at Sagar Ratna in Janpath. ## Context The INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties, often coordinates protests against the Election Commission, but internal disagreements can surface when one party dominates the narrative, as seen in this incident.