Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s unexpected arrival at a meeting of the INDIA bloc in Delhi on Wednesday led to a last-minute reshuffle of seating arrangements, with party leaders having to make space for her just before the Opposition alliance’s press conference.
The meeting brought together leaders from several Opposition parties, with the seating plan reportedly finalised before the event. Chairs were arranged around a large rectangular setup, while nameplates had been placed for the participating leaders.
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According to sources cited in the report, Sonia Gandhi’s presence had not been anticipated by the organisers. Her arrival shortly before the press conference began meant that there was no designated chair or nameplate for her.
The seating arrangement had been planned according to the political standing of the leaders, with senior figures and current or former chief ministers generally placed in the front row, while leaders representing parties with fewer MPs were seated behind them.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had been assigned the central position at the podium. Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav were initially positioned on either side of him, while Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and CPM general secretary MA Baby were seated nearby.
Congress leaders and Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien had reportedly inspected the arrangements before the event.
However, Sonia Gandhi’s late arrival changed the plan.
Mamata Banerjee and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule were among those looking for a place for Sonia Gandhi. Several leaders gestured towards Rahul Gandhi’s chair, but Sonia Gandhi instead sat in Tejashwi Yadav’s seat.
Soon after, Kharge entered the hall and asked that a seat be arranged beside him. Mamata Banerjee then sat next to Sonia Gandhi, followed by Supriya Sule. Samajwadi Party MP Harendra Malik was seated next to Sule.
Rahul Gandhi later took the seat on Kharge’s other side. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah sat next to him, followed by MA Baby and CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. Tejashwi Yadav and former Union minister Kapil Sibal were also part of the rearranged seating.
A front-row nameplate had also been kept for Congress leader P Chidambaram, but he did not attend the press conference, leaving his place available.
During the press conference, Banerjee spoke to the media and criticised the government and the Election Commission. Sonia Gandhi was seen patting Banerjee’s back while she spoke.
The INDIA bloc meeting also saw Opposition parties reiterate their demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The BJP criticised the Opposition alliance, describing it as an example of “political opportunism”.
Meanwhile, the DMK, which has previously had differences with the Congress and left the alliance, indicated that it would support the impeachment motion against the CEC in Parliament.
The meeting came amid an ongoing political dispute between the Opposition parties and the Election Commission over electoral issues.
Excerpt
Sonia Gandhi’s unexpected arrival at an INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi led to a last-minute seating shuffle, with Opposition leaders rearranging their places moments before the press conference.
