Congress Postpones 'Vote Theft' Protest Amid Ahmedabad Plane Crash Mourning

The Congress party announced a delay in its planned protest against alleged vote manipulation in the Maharashtra elections, citing respect for the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. The demonstration, intended to spotlight claims of electoral malfeasance following BJP's recent victory, will now commence on June 16 after observing a respectful three-day mourning period. During this time, condolence meetings will be conducted at district unit offices across the state.

This postponement follows an article and social media posts by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who highlighted potential manipulation in the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, where the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition triumphed. This victory arrived after a strong performance from the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the Congress-led alliance, in the Lok Sabha elections.

The decision coincides with the crash of a London-bound Air India flight shortly after its departure from Ahmedabad airport, a tragedy that resulted in significant loss of life, prompting this recalibration by the Congress as it seeks to balance its political agenda with sensitivity to the unfolding human tragedy.

(With inputs from agencies.)