The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following the Opposition’s symbolic impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, with party MP Sambit Patra suggesting that Gandhi should be made the Prime Minister of the mock Parliament organised by the INDIA bloc.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Patra accused the Congress of attempting to remove the government through protests and political agitation after repeatedly failing to defeat the BJP in elections.

“Make him a mock prime minister in the mock parliament,” Patra said, taking a dig at the Leader of the Opposition.

He also suggested that Gandhi should sit on the treasury benches in a kurta-pyjama, with Opposition members addressing him as “Prime Minister” during the mock proceedings.

Patra further accused the Congress and its allies of attempting to seize power without contesting elections, alleging that their objective was to bring about regime change rather than raise concerns over electoral issues.

BJP accuses Opposition of seeking regime change

Targeting the Congress-led Opposition, Patra alleged that its campaign was not genuinely focused on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls or students’ future.

He claimed that Rahul Gandhi and his associates wanted to change the government and install their own administration without securing an electoral mandate.

The BJP leader also criticised the Opposition’s allegations that recent elections had been stolen and questioned its approach towards the Election Commission.

Patra referred to the protests and political developments in Nepal and Bangladesh, alleging that attempts were being made to create similar situations in India.

He also questioned Opposition leaders over their criticism of the police and armed forces, including their remarks concerning surgical strikes.

Congress holds symbolic impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar

The BJP’s remarks came after the Congress-led INDIA bloc organised what it described as a “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday.

The Opposition held a mock sitting of Parliament at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in New Delhi, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presiding over the proceedings.

Kharge moved the symbolic motion, while several senior Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, were present.

The proceedings were organised to protest against alleged irregularities in elections and the functioning of the Election Commission.

The Congress has accused the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of benefiting from alleged electoral irregularities and has repeatedly demanded action against Kumar.

One of the key issues raised by the Opposition concerns a newspaper report claiming that several decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls were taken without the knowledge and express approval of the other two Election Commissioners.

The Congress has also questioned the Election Commission’s handling of electoral rolls and accused the ruling party of benefiting from alleged irregularities.

It is important to distinguish the event from a formal constitutional impeachment process. Saturday’s proceedings were a symbolic exercise organised by the Opposition in a mock Parliament.

BJP targets student activist Neha Bora

Patra also criticised Neha Bora, the chief of the left-leaning student organisation All India Students’ Association (AISA), who had been at the forefront of the Cockroach Janta Party’s agitation demanding Kumar’s resignation.

Bora had recently joined the Congress during its protest march and was seen alongside senior Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

The BJP leader questioned her expression of gratitude towards Bangladesh, where student-led protests led to the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024.

Patra used the reference to reiterate the BJP’s allegation that sections of the Opposition were attempting to create conditions similar to those witnessed in neighbouring countries.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc is scheduled to hold a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, November 1, as part of its continuing protests against the Election Commission and the alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. The BJP leader submitted his candidature in Bhopal in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and senior party leaders.

Puri is contesting the bypoll as the BJP candidate for the single Rajya Sabha seat that became vacant following the resignation of former Union Minister L Murugan.

The nomination process took place at the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly building, where BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal and other senior leaders were also present.

BJP announced Puri’s candidature on October 28

The BJP’s Central Election Committee announced Puri as its candidate for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election on October 28.

The decision came after the party released its list of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh without including Puri’s name. His existing term as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh is due to end in November 2026.

Puri, 74, currently serves as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He was first nominated to the Rajya Sabha in January 2018 and was re-elected in 2020.

Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant

The by-election has been necessitated by the resignation of L Murugan from the Rajya Sabha.

Murugan resigned from the Upper House on October 13, 2026, even though his term was scheduled to continue until April 2, 2030. His resignation created a vacancy in Madhya Pradesh, prompting the Election Commission to announce a by-election.

Murugan had expressed his intention to focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu.

Rajya Sabha bypoll schedule

The Election Commission has scheduled voting for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election on November 12, 2026.

The important dates are:

• Last date for filing nominations: November 2
• Scrutiny of nomination papers: November 3
• Last date for withdrawal: November 5
• Date of polling: November 12
• Counting of votes: November 12, from 5 pm

Polling will take place between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm on the same day. The entire election process is scheduled to be completed before November 16.

The Opposition INDIA bloc has begun its public impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi. Several prominent Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are present at the programme.

The event is being conducted as a symbolic protest against Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in the electoral process and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is presiding over the proceedings, while Mallikarjun Kharge is leading the initiative by moving the motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to deliver the concluding remarks.

The programme was organised at Kharge’s residence at 10, Rajaji Marg, after the Opposition’s original schedule was disrupted by rainfall in Delhi. The event, initially planned for Friday, was postponed to Saturday.

Why the INDIA bloc organised the public impeachment

The Opposition has been demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

The dispute has largely centred on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and allegations of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) raised by Opposition parties.

The INDIA bloc has maintained that the proceedings are intended to provide a platform for discussing concerns related to the electoral system and bringing together parties opposing the CEC.

How the proceedings are being conducted

The programme follows a format resembling parliamentary proceedings, although it is a symbolic political exercise rather than a formal constitutional impeachment process.

Mallikarjun Kharge is moving the motion, with Meira Kumar presiding over the proceedings. Representatives of participating Opposition parties are expected to speak, while Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to make the concluding remarks before the motion is adopted.

The public impeachment programme is also part of the Opposition’s wider campaign against Gyanesh Kumar, with INDIA bloc parties planning a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

The Opposition has been raising concerns over the SIR exercise and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, describing them as issues affecting voters’ rights and the electoral process. These allegations have been central to its campaign against the CEC.

The public impeachment programme was initially scheduled for October 30 but was postponed because of continuous rainfall in the national capital. It was subsequently rescheduled for October 31 at the same venue.

The event also comes ahead of the INDIA bloc’s planned November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, where Opposition parties intend to continue their campaign over allegations of vote theft and electoral irregularities.