​’40% of Ramlila Maidan Vacant’: BJP Mocks Rahul Gandhi’s 10-Lakh Turnout Claim at INDIA Bloc Anti-CEC Rally

​Addressing a press conference in the national capital, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra shared venue visuals to challenge claims by Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Pawan Khera that 10 lakh supporters would assemble to protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and alleged voter roll irregularities.

​BJP Challenges Turnout Figures

​Dismissing the Opposition’s claims of massive public mobilization, Patra pointed to vacant seating blocks across the venue:

​”You can see in the background that 40 per cent of Ramlila Maidan, 40 per cent of the space, was vacant. Rahul Gandhi and his team claimed that 10 lakh people would attend. Out of 28,000 chairs, around 5,000–7,000 were empty between 3:30 pm and 4 pm. This is the reality behind Congress’s claim of 10 lakh attendees.”

​The BJP’s counter comes amidst escalating political rhetoric following the INDIA bloc’s rally against alleged voter list tampering and administrative bias.

​Opposition Hails Rally as Success, Demands CEC Resignation

​Conversely, senior leaders from the INDIA bloc characterized the demonstration as a major success, doubling down on demands for the Chief Election Commissioner to step down.

Senior advocate and Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi stated that the BJP’s reaction stemmed from frustration over high attendance, adding that CEC Gyanesh Kumar must resign.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor argued that public trust had eroded, stating that if the CEC possesses moral conscience, he should step down.

Addressing the rally alongside alliance leaders—including SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, NC chief Farooq Abdullah, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge—Rahul Gandhi asserted that CEC Gyanesh Kumar would face imprisonment and legal action over alleged voter roll manipulation.