Decks set for INDIA bloc rally at Ramlila Maidan

Hundreds of workers were seen at Central Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Saturday as preparations for INDIA Bloc’s “Chalo Dilli” rally, scheduled for Sunday, were in full swing

Hundreds of workers were seen at Central Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Saturday as preparations for INDIA Bloc’s “Chalo Dilli” rally, scheduled for Sunday, were in full swing. From arranging seating and clearing waterlogged areas to positioning microphones and installing security cameras, workers told HT they have worked throughout over the past few days.

Hoardings featured prominent Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopa. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has appealed to people to join the rally at Ramlila Maidan, organised to protest alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), and to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Meanwhile, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and All India Students’ Association (AISA) have also extended their support for the rally.

CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke, in a post on X, said, “The SIR exercise has raised serious concerns about the removal fo eligible voters from electoral rolls...It is our responsibility to ensure that no eligible citizen is deprived of their right. The CJP will therefore support all organisations fighting for fair elections in our country.”

AISA also called the citizens for the November 1 protest, in a poster shared on X.

Fences around Ramlila Maidan remained draped in Tricolour cloth, while large hoardings featured prominent Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopa.

Tharkendra Jain, who is overseeing the tent and lighting arrangements, told HT that around 500 workers have been working in two shifts since October 25 to complete preparations in time. The work is extensive, and Friday’s rain added to the workload, he added.

“The boundary has been covered with Tricolour fabric, while an aluminium German-hanger structure has been erected to accommodate INDIA bloc members and other prominent leaders, with seating for around 100 people in each section. Eight pagoda tents have also been set up across the venue to house facilities, including a medical camp, a live telecast control room and a Delhi Police control room,” Jain said. “Two large water suction pumps have been placed to clear the waterlogging, and manual work is being carried out where machines can’t be used,” he added.

On Saturday afternoon, Congress Seva Dal workers formed a human chain, passing buckets of collected water from one person to another to clear waterlogging at the ground, especially around the stage area.

Mohd Zakir Husain, 31, a resident of Murshidabad in West Bengal, and Prince Malhotra, 53, originally from Rohtak in Haryana, said workers formed a human chain to clear the waterlogged area.

“I arrived in Delhi at 2am and went to Raj Ghat in the morning after a few hours of rest. Then the party told me manpower was needed for the preparations. Ninety per cent of the waterlogging has been cleared, but water remains at several places, so we formed a human chain to remove the accumulated water in buckets,” Husain said.

Amardeep, who is overseeing the Delhi Police control room set up a few metres behind the two stages, said approximately 250 CCTV cameras had been installed across the venue for round-the-clock surveillance.

“The entire ground is under CCTV surveillance, with 10–12 cameras installed on each of the two stages and 30 cameras monitoring the 10 entry gates, including two VIP and one VVIP entry points,” he said.