A big rally of the Congress and the INDIA alliance is going to be held today, November 1, 2026, at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. The Congress and opposition parties have organised this protest over alleged irregularities in the voter list and against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Leaders of several opposition alliance parties, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, are expected to attend.
The opposition alliance has claimed that about 10 lakh people will gather at the rally. Meanwhile, Delhi's trade organisations and the BJP have raised questions over business being affected by the rally.
Rahul Gandhi urges visitors to shop
Rahul Gandhi also posted on X about business. He appealed to the lakhs of people coming to the rally, saying it is festival season, Diwali, Chhath and Bhai Dooj time, and he wants those coming to Delhi from outside to help traders here.
Protest, march and rally, and also do a little shopping, traders will benefit, he appealed. Some estimates say people coming to Delhi from other states for the rally or other work buy something or the other before leaving. If Rahul Gandhi's appeal works, Delhi's traders could benefit greatly from the rally.
Traders fear markets will stall
Trade organisations claim the rally could affect business in about 20 big markets of the capital. They say daily business of Rs 10000-12000 crore could be affected.
According to the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), major markets like Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Chawri Bazar, Khari Baoli, Connaught Place and Daryaganj could see trade stall because of the rally. These markets see huge crowds of customers during Diwali, and traffic jams, road closures and police restrictions could make it difficult for customers to reach shops.
10 lakh people and thousands of vehicles expected
According to trade organisations, about 10 lakh people are estimated to arrive at the rally, and 15000 to 20000 vehicles are likely to come. Such a large movement of people and vehicles could cause heavy jams in central Delhi, affecting not just markets but also the movement of goods.
Markets in Delhi usually open on Sundays too, and big markets see heavy footfall during the festive season. Traders say the combination of crowds, diversions and restrictions makes this rally a business risk for them, even as the opposition hopes its political message and Rahul Gandhi's shopping appeal soften the impact.
