BJP faces isolation over SIR and Gyanesh Kumar issue

YSR Congress, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy, had supported the controversial farm laws introduced by the Modi government in 2020.

The Cockroach People’s Party (CJP) is protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested by the Delhi Police and are currently in judicial custody for five days. Opposition parties in the country, including the Congress, are protesting against this, but the stance of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has supported the NDA on several issues, seems to be changing. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has supported the NDA coalition in Parliament on various issues, expressed his disappointment over the decision made regarding the Election Commission and has supported the CJP. Following his support, it is believed that this may be due to his coordination with leftist parties. However, there has been no official statement on this yet.

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According to media reports, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy stated that-

"We have realized that we should not have agreed to that process in which the Election Commissioner is chosen by a three-member committee." Reddy further said, "As an opposition party in Andhra Pradesh, we feel that we should support those who are protecting the interests of those whose votes have been illegally cut."

He alleged that the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh is taking advantage of the actions of this commission, which operates at its behest in collusion with the Election Commission.

Jagan Mohan Reddy's party YSR Congress had supported the controversial agricultural laws brought by the Modi government in 2020. In 2023, when the new Parliament building was being inaugurated, party leaders attended the event, while opposition leaders boycotted it. The party had also supported the Modi government's central policies regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the abrogation of Article 370. In 2025, Jagan's party supported NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan for the Vice President's position.

Previously, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, which is considered an ally of the NDA and outside the INDIA alliance, had also participated in a march against the Chief Election Commissioner led by Rahul Gandhi. Regarding participation in the protest march, BJD MP Sulata Dev clarified the party's stance, stating that party leaders and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have already made it clear that the BJD is neither a part of the INDIA alliance nor the NDA. The BJD MP made serious allegations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, stating that the commission's actions are a matter of serious concern for democracy.

She alleged that during the SIR process, a large number of voters' names were removed in Odisha. According to a report by Prabhat Khabar, Sulata Dev claimed that around 27.50 lakh voters' names were removed in Odisha, and the total number across the country is about 13 crore. Sulata Dev also accused the Election Commission of working under political pressure. She stated that the commission's actions suggest that it was receiving instructions from the BJP office and that they were being implemented. She also claimed that Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer Santhana Gopalan was under significant pressure and was applying for VRS.

Sulata Dev also mentioned that BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has already been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She stated that the BJD's opposition is not to join any alliance but to raise issues related to voters. The BJD will continue to voice its concerns regarding the rights of the public and matters related to the democratic process.

Similarly, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party from Tamil Nadu also held a meeting recently amid protests regarding the SIR. DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chaired the meeting on Saturday. This meeting took place at the DMK headquarters 'Anna Arivalayam' in Chennai. The meeting demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, complete cancellation of the SIR, and a return to ballot paper voting instead of EVMs. The meeting also decided to submit a petition to the President to address electoral irregularities.

There was also discussion in political circles that the central government is negotiating with the DMK to garner support for its long-awaited delimitation bill. However, after this meeting, media sources reported that it was stated in the meeting that if the Modi government calls a special session regarding the delimitation bill, the party will clarify its stance only after reviewing the bill's draft. Earlier, DMK parliamentary party leader Kanimozhi had stated on Friday that the central BJP government is destroying constitutional values. Kanimozhi heavily criticized the central government.