Congress’ ‘Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod’ Mega Rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan Today

The Congress party is set to hold a major “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally at Delhi’s historic Ramlila Maidan today, aiming to intensify political pressure on the central government over allegations of vote manipulation and electoral irregularities. Projected as a nationwide campaign to “save democracy”, the rally will see top Congress leaders addressing a large public gathering in the national capital.

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Rally objective and core message

According to party leaders, the central theme of the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally is to protest alleged “vote theft” and manipulation of voter lists and to demand stronger safeguards for electoral integrity. Congress leaders have framed the event as part of a broader movement to highlight concerns over the transparency and fairness of India’s electoral process, especially in the context of electronic voting machines and voter rolls.​

Party functionaries say the rally is designed to send a clear political message that the Congress will not remain silent on what it claims are systematic attempts to distort the people’s mandate. The slogan “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” (those who steal votes must leave office) is being used as the central campaign line to connect with voters across the country.​

Top Congress leaders to address rally

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi are slated to be the star speakers at the Ramlila Maidan gathering. Both leaders are expected to target the BJP-led government over alleged irregularities in elections and what they describe as institutional inaction on opposition complaints.​

Before the rally, senior leaders will assemble at the party’s Indira Bhawan headquarters in Delhi and then travel together by bus to Ramlila Maidan as a show of unity and mobilisation. The event is also likely to see the presence of prominent figures such as Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Sachin Pilot, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other state-level heavyweights.​

Signature campaign and memorandum to President

In the run-up to the rally, the Congress claims to have collected over five crore signatures from citizens across India as part of a mass campaign against alleged “vote theft”. These signatures, party leaders say, represent public support for demands to protect the integrity of elections and will be submitted to the President of India.​

Congress MP K C Venugopal has said the party is seeking a formal meeting with the President to present the signatures along with a detailed memorandum on electoral concerns. He linked the Delhi rally to earlier statements by Rahul Gandhi, who has frequently raised questions over voter list discrepancies and electronic voting machines, alleging that the ruling BJP benefits from these irregularities.​

Allegations against BJP and Election Commission

Venugopal and other Congress leaders have accused the BJP of exploiting supposed weaknesses in the electoral system while dismissing opposition complaints. They also allege that the Election Commission has failed to act on representations submitted by the Congress regarding irregularities, while instead subjecting the party itself to closer scrutiny.​

Through the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally, the Congress intends to spotlight what it calls a pattern of institutional bias and democratic backsliding under the current dispensation. The party argues that free and fair elections are the foundation of the republic and must be defended through public mobilisation and political pressure.​

Large-scale mobilisation from states

The Congress has orchestrated extensive mobilisation from various states to ensure a strong turnout at Ramlila Maidan. A party spokesperson said that 1,027 Congress leaders and workers departed from Jammu on Saturday, raising slogans such as “vote chor, gaddi chhod” as they travelled to the capital.​

From Jharkhand, state Congress president Keshav Mahto Kamlesh described the preparations as “historic”, saying that leaders, workers and representatives from multiple districts had already reached Delhi in large numbers. Similar delegations from other states are expected to join, turning the event into a show of organisational strength for the party.​

Key leaders and their roles

Party strategists have positioned the rally as an important moment in the Congress’s ongoing national campaign, with clearly defined roles for senior figures. Kharge will spearhead the political attack as party president, while Rahul Gandhi is set to lead the “vote chori” narrative and connect it to his broader campaign themes.​

Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to lend symbolic and political weight through their presence, reinforcing the party’s message of unity and resolve. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other regional leaders are likely to underline that concerns over electoral integrity are not limited to one state but resonate across the federal landscape.​

Overall, the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” rally at Ramlila Maidan is being projected by the Congress as a decisive step in its effort to build a nationwide movement against alleged vote manipulation and to position itself as the primary defender of democratic processes in India