Opposition resolves to keep collective focus on SIR in House, dubs it 'vote chori'

NEW DELHI: Deciding to call it " vote chori " for better political messaging, the opposition Thursday resolved to keep its collective focus on Special Intensive Review of electoral rolls during the remainder part of the monsoon session. After the discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack, it is set to demand one on SIR , a move that puts the functioning of Parliament in the coming weeks under a cloud given the government's reluctance on the sensitive issue targeted at BJP and Election Commission.

At a discussion of the INDIA bloc leaders Thursday, the opposition agreed to keep their single-minded focus on the EC's electoral rolls review which has roiled election-bound Bihar, and would be implemented in the rest of the country. Rahul Gandhi is learnt to have led the discussion by alleging that the issues in Parliament are important, but the BJP is winning the elections by "manipulating" the voters' lists.

The opposition's thinking was evident from the fact that the meeting also discussed the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, with some dubbing them as a rebuff to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP. Congress Lok Sabha whip Manickam Tagore even moved an adjournment motion on the government's "economic and diplomatic failure" over tariffs. But the protest in the House which paralysed its functioning was solely on SIR.

It was also mentioned in passing that Rahul make a presentation to the anti-BJP camp on how the "tampering" is being done, based on what Congress claims to have unearthed in the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat.

The meeting, which comprised Gaurav Gogoi, Supriya Sule, T R Baalu, Ramgopal Yadav, N K Premachandran, Derek O'Brien, John Brittas, KC Venugopal, felt other issues though important should be kept aside as distraction.

Interestingly, the opposition decided to adopt the Trinamool Congress's appellation of SIR, calling it "vote chori". It was felt SIR is too esoteric for the common man to grasp its political significance.

Rahul is learnt to have argued that issues in Parliament are effective, but BJP is winning elections on the ground through a different strategy focused on electoral rolls. An MP quoted Rahul as saying that after defeats in states that appeared tilted towards Congress, the party believed it was because of weak organisation. But after studying Bangalore Rural, it is convinced there are other reasons. "We have found a pattern," he reportedly said.

Sources said the opposition is unanimous on the issue, and the ball is in the government's court on accepting the demand for a discussion on Special Intensive Review.