Rahul Gandhi Meets Vijay In Chennai Amid CJP Protest, Congress Stays Away From Delhi Stir

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay at his residence in Neelankarai, with the hour-long meeting bringing the alliance partners together amid growing opposition protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The leaders discussed several political issues over lunch, party sources said. The meeting comes at a crucial time for the Congress and TVK, following the latter's entry into the INDIA bloc and the ruling alliance's victories in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly bypolls held on October 6.

The discussions are expected to have covered state and national political developments, coordination between the alliance partners and their plans for future elections. However, the leaders have not publicly disclosed the specific agenda or announced any decisions arising from the meeting.

The meeting also coincided with the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) protest in Delhi, which is demanding Kumar's resignation and action over the revision of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the voter-list revision process, while the Election Commission has defended its exercise as a verification measure.

Rahul Gandhi, who has previously joined opposition protests against the election chief, did not attend Saturday's CJP agitation. The Congress has chosen to keep away from the CJP-led demonstration and pursue its own campaign, even as several INDIA bloc partners have backed the protest. The party has planned a separate public mobilisation in Delhi for October 12.

Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to address students at the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (Voice of Students) programme at Island Grounds in Chennai. The Congress initiative focuses on concerns such as examination paper leaks, unemployment, coaching-centre costs and education funding.