‘Gyanesh Kumar has to go’: Gaurav Gogoi accuses ECI of losing constitutional authority

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on October 23 demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had been stripped of its constitutional authority and that its chief was acting out of loyalty to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“Every day we are receiving reports and news that the Election Commission of India has been totally manipulated, has been hollowed out, has been emptied of its constitutional authority, of its constitutional duty,” Gogoi said.

Alleging that Kumar had placed the ruling leadership above his constitutional responsibilities, Gogoi said the Chief Election Commissioner appeared to have sworn an oath of loyalty to Modi and Shah rather than to the Constitution.

“That person, Gyanesh Kumar, has to go,” he said.

Gogoi also announced that the INDIA bloc was planning to hold a mock Parliament on October 28, though details of the programme were yet to be finalised. He said the Congress's ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rallies were continuing across the country after a temporary pause during Navratri, Dussehra and Durga Puja.

The Congress leader also criticised Modi for repeatedly targeting the Congress and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi in his speeches, arguing that the Prime Minister was focusing on political attacks rather than public concerns.

“The Prime Minister consistently is taking the name of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. That only shows how much Rahul Gandhi and the phobia of Rahul Gandhi has entered the mind of Shri Narendra Modi ji,” Gogoi said.

Questioning the Prime Minister's repeated references to the Congress, Gogoi said, “What is he talking about? Congress, Congress, Congress, Rahul Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi.”

He argued that the government should instead address concerns affecting the middle class, students and people in states such as Manipur, along with drought-affected regions.

Gogoi also took aim at the government's references to the Shimla Agreement of the 1970s, saying such arguments reflected a defensive approach.

“When this government is on the defensive, is on the back foot, they go back, jump back 40 years, 50 years,” he said.

Questioning whether the BJP-led government could remain in power until 2029, Gogoi alleged that it lacked political direction and vision.

“There's a bankruptcy of vision in this BJP government,” he said, also accusing the BJP of knowing only “how to steal the vote” and “how to steal elections”.