New Delhi, Sep 30: A series of hoardings targeting opposition leaders appeared in the national capital on Wednesday ahead of the INDIA bloc meeting, highlighting what they portrayed as differing positions on the Election Commission.
The posters did not identify their source, but they featured references to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, Trinamool Congress leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, and other opposition figures. The displays focused on statements concerning the functioning of the Election Commission and sought to highlight differences in the leaders’ positions depending on electoral outcomes.
One of the hoardings was divided into sections labelled “When they win” and “When they lose”. It attributed a statement regarding the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, to Tharoor under the first heading, while placing criticism of the Election Commission under the second.
The poster concluded with the message that the Election Commission remained the same while, according to the display, the narrative changed according to the outcome.
Another hoarding carried the headline “Hypocrisy at its peak”. It juxtaposed a statement attributed to Abhishek Banerjee regarding allegations against the poll panel with a separate remark attributed to Mamata Banerjee concerning the Chief Election Commissioner.
A third display, written in Hindi and English, accused the opposition bloc of having “double standards” and used a slogan suggesting that the Election Commission receives praise after electoral victories and criticism following defeats. Photographs of several opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi, appeared on the hoarding.
The posters surfaced as INDIA bloc parties prepared to meet in New Delhi to discuss a coordinated response to the ongoing dispute over the Election Commission’s functioning and the SIR exercise. The bloc’s meeting was scheduled at the Constitution Club, with the demand for action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar among the key issues under discussion.
The BJP separately targeted Rahul Gandhi ahead of the meeting. Ashish Usha Agrawal, national convenor of the BJP Media Department, said questions were already being raised about Gandhi’s leadership before the opposition gathering had begun.
In a post on X, Agrawal said the meeting would reveal which opposition leaders would distance themselves from Gandhi. He also referred to the possibility of differences within the alliance over its leadership.
The BJP’s remarks came amid broader political exchanges over the Election Commission and the SIR process. The ruling party has defended the poll panel against opposition allegations, while opposition parties have demanded greater accountability and questioned decisions concerning electoral rolls.
TMC leader Derek O’Brien objected to the terminology used in the posters, particularly the reference to the opposition grouping as the “INDI alliance”. He said the bloc’s official name is the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA, and accused the BJP of deliberately using a different formulation.
The opposition meeting is expected to focus on preparing a joint programme of action over the SIR controversy and the functioning of the Election Commission. Opposition parties have also been discussing a possible motion seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
Sources said a draft notice for another attempt to initiate a removal motion against Kumar in Parliament was ready for consideration. Leaders were expected to discuss the proposal and decide on the next course of action at the meeting.
The gathering brings together senior leaders from several opposition parties. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, TMC leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, as well as representatives of the Samajwadi Party, CPI, CPI(M), NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), are among those associated with the meeting.
Not all INDIA bloc parties were expected to be physically present. The DMK and Aam Aadmi Party had indicated that they would not attend, while Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was set to remain away because of preparations for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. The SP was expected to send representatives instead.
The political confrontation has intensified following reports about differences within the Election Commission over aspects of the SIR exercise. Opposition parties have cited those reports while questioning the poll panel’s decision-making, whereas the Election Commission has maintained that its decisions were taken unanimously.
Congress has also stepped up its campaign against the Election Commission. At a meeting of its top leadership, the party adopted demands relating to the SIR exercise and called for action against the CEC. The Congress has said it plans to pursue a broader political campaign over the issue.
The BJP, meanwhile, has rejected the opposition’s allegations and accused its leaders of attempting to undermine public confidence in the poll panel. BJP leaders have defended the SIR exercise and argued that electoral-roll revisions are necessary to address inaccuracies in voter lists.
Against this backdrop, the Delhi hoardings have added another layer to the political contest surrounding the INDIA bloc meeting. While the unidentified posters focus on alleged inconsistencies in opposition statements, the BJP’s separate comments have turned attention towards Rahul Gandhi and the question of leadership within the alliance.
The meeting is therefore taking place amid simultaneous disagreements over electoral-roll revision, the Election Commission’s functioning and coordination among opposition parties. The outcome of the discussions is expected to determine the bloc’s next steps on the SIR issue and its proposed parliamentary and public campaign concerning the poll panel.