K.C. Venugopal inaugurates ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rally in Kozhikode, targets Modi government

Despite torrential rain, tens of thousands of people turned up for the rally, which was organised to protest against alleged electoral irregularities and what the Congress described as the Modi government's authoritarian politics.

In a statement following the event, Venugopal described the gathering as a people's movement to reclaim democracy and protect every citizen's right to vote. He credited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with leading the party's campaign against alleged manipulation of electoral processes.

Venugopal alleged that the BJP had subverted the people's mandate in Haryana and Maharashtra through fraudulent voting and electoral manipulation. He said the Congress had presented evidence to support its allegations and would continue its campaign until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was removed from office.

He further accused the Chief Election Commissioner of being complicit in the alleged deletion of more than 13 crore voters from electoral rolls. These allegations reflect the Congress party's position and have not been established as findings of an independent authority.

Targeting the Centre, Venugopal also criticised the legal protections extended to constitutional authorities, arguing that such safeguards would not make them immune from public scrutiny or political accountability. He challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in an open debate with Rahul Gandhi on the allegations.

Venugopal maintained that the Congress's campaign was not a struggle for political power but an effort to safeguard India's democratic institutions and the constitutional right to vote.

He thanked the Kozhikode DCC leadership and the people who participated in the rally despite the heavy rain, describing the mobilisation as a significant show of support for the party's campaign.