New Delhi: A miscommunication on a WhatsApp message to Samajwadi Party over a lunch invite by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge left some bitter taste in the I.N.D.I.A bloc but it did not derail a protest march to J…

New Delhi: A miscommunication on a WhatsApp message to Samajwadi Party over a lunch invite by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge left some bitter taste in the I.N.D.I.A bloc but it did not derail a protest march to Jantar Mantar on Wednesday as irritants were sorted out fast.Samajwadi Party missed the lunch hosted by Kharge at ‘Sagar Ratna’ on Janpath as also the high-voltage bus ride to Jantar Mantar that eventually got prevented by police who forcibly removed several protesting MPs, including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.The protest, second day in a row, came as the I.N.D.I.A bloc managers attempted to work out the contours of a meeting they sought with President Droupadi Murmu to impress upon her their objections to the continuance of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over ‘vote chori’ accusations.Sources said the Opposition had sought a meeting with the President by October 9 by a group of 15 leaders but the Rashtrapati Bhavan is learnt to have asked them to trim the delegation size to 10, which the I.N.D.I.A bloc is willing to accept. ‘Delhi Police has no work except registering FIRs’: Akhilesh Yadav on Rahul Gandhi caseIf the President allows a meeting, sources said leaders like Kharge, Rahul and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee would be part of the delegation that would be visiting the Rashtrapati Bhavan.Sources said the decision to remain on the ground with protests was taken on Wednesday itself after the Opposition marched to the Election Commission. Accordingly, MPs who remained in Delhi were called for a lunch where a final decision on the course of protest was to be taken. However, Samajwadi Party’s absence created some trouble but the confusion was cleared soon. “No big deal. There was a minor miscommunication on a WhatsApp message. All good – in the spirit of I.N.D.I.A,” Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien said.Sources said Rahul was unhappy over the episode even as the issue was sorted out while ensuring that the SP MPs would attend Thursday’s protest.At the meeting, sources said the senior leaders decided on where they should hold the protest. Before finalising on Jantar Mantar, leaders also discussed other possible destinations like Election Commission and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Sources said Jantar Mantar was finalised as it would send a message of “reclaiming Jantar Mantar”, as it has been made out of bounds for protesters. Three buses were ready to ferry the MPs to Jantar Mantar but it was easier said than done.Samajwadi Party absent from Mallikarjun Kharge’s I.N.D.I.A. bloc lunch; Congress cites short notice Over south Indian lunch, the leaders also discussed how to move forward on the protest. Options were getting off the buses as soon as police prevented them from moving ahead and remaining in the bus, even if it extended to unearthly hours, if police did not provoke them. With two options on the table, party managers had already made arrangements for food and water in buses.As the buses were stopped by police and leaders “witnessing” police using disproportionate force on party workers, the leaders got out with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lying on the road along with Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and others while Rahul stood guard against detention of leaders. Police managed to drag MPs into police vans amid resistance shown by Rahul and others. A photograph later showed Mahua with bruised palm.At Barakhamba Road Police Station where Rahul was kept in detention, there was high drama as Chief Ministers A Revanth Reddy (Telangana) and VD Satheesan (Keralam) were not allowed to go inside. After intense protest, both were allowed but MPs like Derek O’Brien, who was released from the Chhatrasal Stadium where he was in detention, were prevented from entering.O’Brien told the policemen, “how are you not allowing me inside when I want to file an FIR against Election Commission’s IT Department head Seema Khanna (on centralisation of electoral roll management).” 

Source: Deccan Herald