Dakshina Kannada Congress to take out rally on September 28 demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation

DCC president Padmaraj R. Poojary speaking at a press conference in Congress Bhavan, in Mangaluru on September 26, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY Members of Dakshina Kannada District Congress, including MLAs, MLCs and the district in-charge Minister will take out a rally from Bhagwan Mahaveer (Pumpwell) Circle to the district office complex Praja Soudha in Padil on Monday (September 28, 2026) demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar and to ‘save’ democracy.Speaking to reporters here on Saturday (September 26), District Congress Committee President R. Padmaraj noted that the party has launched a nationwide campaign to ‘save’ democracy from the hands of Mr. Kumar who, according to newspaper reports, has compromised country’s electoral process. Democracy would perish if he continues as the CEC, Mr. Padmaraj said demanding his immediate resignation and arrest for electoral malpractices.The rally would commence at around 10.30 a.m. from Mahaveer Circle and culminate in about an hour at the district office complex, where the protesting Congress members and leaders would submit a memorandum to the President through the Deputy Commissioner seeking immediate removal of the CEC from the post.Cabinet meetingResponding to the Bharatiya Janata Party holding protests in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts criticising the recently concluded Mangaluru Cabinet meeting, Mr. Padmaraj said BJP leaders have been spending sleepless nights after the historic Cabinet meeting that sanctioned hundreds of crores of rupees for the development of the region.He said the BJP could not bring any developmental woks to the coastal region despite being in power for many years. Now that the Congress government has ushered in a development era for the coast, the BJP leadership has been trembling with fear of losing its base, the DCC President said.MLC Ivan D’Souza, former DCC President K. Harish Kumar, former Mayor Shashidhar Hegde, Cashew Development Board Chairperson Mamatha Gatti and others were present. Published - September 26, 2026 01:49 pm IST