Congress Working Committee Meeting: Rahul Gandhi Says Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation Is Inevitable
Rahul Gandhi Targets Election Commission and BJP
The Congress Working Committee meeting held on September 29, 2026, brought the ongoing dispute over the Election Commission and electoral rolls into sharper political focus. During the meeting, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi strongly criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party over what Congress has described as “vote chori.” Reports from the meeting said Gandhi argued that Kumar could not function without political protection and alleged that the CEC had the backing of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Congress Working Committee meeting took place amid an intensifying debate over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Congress has been demanding action against the CEC, while the Election Commission has maintained that its decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken according to the law and were unanimous.
Rahul Gandhi Remarks on Gyanesh Kumar
During the Congress Working Committee meeting, Rahul Gandhi reportedly told party leaders that Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation would ultimately become unavoidable. He alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner had the backing of both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to reports quoting people familiar with the closed-door proceedings, Gandhi said the party would continue its campaign over the electoral-roll issue and urged Congress leaders to take the matter to the public. He also said that the party should continue its efforts on the SIR issue with confidence.
The remarks at the Congress Working Committee meeting followed Gandhi’s earlier public criticism of the Election Commission. On September 24, he had demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and alleged that the poll process was being undermined. The Election Commission, however, rejected the broader allegations and said that decisions concerning SIR had the approval of all three commissioners.
Vote Chori Issue at the Centre of Debate
The Congress Working Committee meeting also focused heavily on Congress’s “vote chori” campaign. The party has alleged irregularities in electoral-roll preparation and questioned the functioning of the Election Commission.
Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly used the phrase “vote chori” while discussing alleged discrepancies in voter lists. Earlier, he had cited examples from different constituencies and claimed that electoral irregularities could affect the integrity of elections. These remain political allegations by Congress, rather than established findings against the Election Commission or the BJP.
The controversy intensified after reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions related to the functioning of the poll panel. The Indian Express reported that the two commissioners had formally objected 14 times over a 10-month period.
Claim About Public Opinion
At the Congress Working Committee meeting, Rahul Gandhi also spoke about the public response to the “vote chori” campaign. According to reports from people familiar with the meeting, he said that when Congress began raising the issue, around 20 percent of people believed the allegation, while he claimed that more than 80 percent now believed that votes were being stolen.
This figure was presented as Gandhi’s assessment of public opinion during the meeting. The reports do not indicate that it was based on a published nationwide opinion poll. Therefore, the 80 percent figure should be understood as a political claim made by Gandhi rather than an independently verified measurement of public sentiment.
The Congress Working Committee meeting thus became another platform for the party to emphasize its allegations concerning electoral rolls and the Election Commission.
Congress Demands Resignations
The Congress Working Committee meeting also resulted in a formal escalation of the party’s position. Congress demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Indian Express reported that the CWC adopted a resolution demanding the CEC’s resignation and called for the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision in several states. Congress also demanded restoration of voter names that it says had been removed from electoral rolls.
These demands have been rejected or disputed by the BJP and the Election Commission. The BJP has accused Congress and opposition parties of making misleading claims about the electoral process. The Election Commission has said its procedures are governed by law and that decisions concerning SIR were unanimous.
Election Commission’s Position
The Congress Working Committee meeting took place against the backdrop of continuing debate within and outside the Election Commission over voter-list revisions.
The Election Commission has maintained that differences in internal discussions are part of institutional decision-making and has stated that decisions were taken in accordance with applicable laws and instructions. At the same time, the Commission recently ordered a review of its voter-roll software following concerns reported about changes to electoral rolls. Reuters reported that the review would examine whether the software complies with legal requirements.
The issue has consequently developed into a broader political dispute involving Congress, the BJP and the Election Commission.
Congress Plans Wider Political Campaign
Following the Congress Working Committee meeting, Congress indicated that it would intensify its campaign over the electoral-roll controversy. The party has discussed taking the issue to the streets and Parliament, while opposition parties are also expected to discuss a coordinated response.
Reports said the INDIA bloc was scheduled to meet in Delhi on September 30 to consider the next course of action. Congress leaders have indicated that the electoral-roll issue will remain an important part of their political campaign.
Rahul Gandhi’s message at the Congress Working Committee meeting was also directed toward Congress workers and leaders, with an emphasis on continuing the campaign and taking the issue to voters.
BJP and Election Commission Respond
The Congress Working Committee meeting also highlighted the widening gap between Congress’s allegations and the responses from the BJP and Election Commission.
The BJP has rejected Congress’s accusations concerning electoral manipulation. BJP leaders have argued that the voter-roll revision process also involves removing duplicate and deceased voters and that Congress is presenting the process selectively.
The Election Commission has similarly disputed the suggestion that its decisions were controlled by the government. Its position, as reported by Business Standard, is that all three commissioners approved decisions related to the pan-India SIR.
What Comes Next?
The Congress Working Committee meeting has therefore added another chapter to the continuing political dispute over electoral rolls and the Election Commission. Rahul Gandhi has maintained his demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and has alleged that the CEC has political backing. Congress has also formally expanded its demands to include the Prime Minister and Home Minister.
The Congress Working Committee meeting also demonstrated that the “vote chori” issue remains a central part of Congress’s current political campaign. The party says the controversy concerns the integrity of electoral rolls and democratic institutions, while the BJP and Election Commission reject the allegations.
For now, the Congress Working Committee meeting has been followed by plans for further political and parliamentary action. The coming discussions among opposition parties, the Election Commission’s review of voter-roll software and any further developments concerning SIR could shape the next stage of the controversy.
The Congress Working Committee meeting also underlined the significance of the disagreement over Gyanesh Kumar’s role. Rahul Gandhi’s comments represented the Congress position and should be distinguished from established findings by constitutional or judicial authorities.
The Congress Working Committee meeting ended with Congress reiterating its demands for changes concerning the Election Commission and electoral-roll revision. The Congress Working Committee meeting has consequently become an important point in the ongoing debate over SIR, voter lists and allegations of “vote chori.” The Congress Working Committee meeting also brought renewed attention to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Gyanesh Kumar and his claim that the CEC’s resignation is inevitable. The Congress Working Committee meeting therefore marks another escalation in the political dispute, with Congress preparing to continue the issue through public campaigns and political forums.
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