For the first time since the ongoing ECI-SIR row, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, joined the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s protest in Chennai against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

This follows the ongoing protests in Delhi over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. The “Protect Democracy” protest was organised by Congress MP B. Manickam Tagore and the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC), with leaders from all seven constituent parties participating.

The protest marks TVK’s first participation in a campaign seeking the CEC’s removal since the party joined the INDIA bloc on October 3. It comes days after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief C Joseph Vijay in Chennai on October 10.

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Which parties were present?

Along with TVK, attendees included TVK leader and School Education Minister A. Rajmohan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president and MP Thol Thirumavalavan, and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko.

Indian Union Muslim League chief K M Kader Mohideen, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary P Shanmugam, Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary M Veerapandian, and CPI (Marxist-Leninist) state secretary Pala Asaithamby also participated in the protest.

Nivedit Alva, the All India Congress Committee's in-charge for Tamil Nadu, was among the Congress leaders who were present at the protest.

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Demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, Congress MP Vijay Vasanth told ANI, "We are insisting on the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar... The Election Commission is working on behalf of the BJP, which is undemocratic... The BJP government does not listen to the people's voice... In order to add strength, the TVK government is also joining this protest today..."

The demonstration in Chennai also comes at a time when there is an internal rift between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has distanced itself from Congress-led agitations and accused its former ally of betrayal.