Political Dispute in Bengal: Police Refuses Permission to Hold Rahul Gandhi Rally in Kolkata and Serampore

The scheduled meetings of the Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi in the state of West Bengal at Kolkata and Serampore have been effectively blocked following a refusal by the state authorities to provide permission. The meetings had been organized as part of a highly competitive Assembly election campaign in 2026 and were originally planned for April 23. Congress officials are highly irritated at the refusal, branding the decision as a conspiracy to silence the voices of opposition in the state during the crucial period of elections.

As revealed by Congress insiders, permission was sought from the state authorities for three different venues: Ramlila Park located at Entally, Park Circus grounds, and Metiabruz of Kolkata and the stadium in Serampore. State Congress officials are of the view that although other parties are able to hold such meetings across the state, their request received no response at all. The current development has created a heated political controversy between Congress and the state government.

When Public Spaces Become Private Battlegrounds

What began as an instance of denial soon turned into an argument around “political parity.” The leadership of the Congress party, led by its General Secretary Roahan Mitra, considers this act as one of silencing Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the ruling government. The party contends that whereas different political parties have been allowed to organize major rallies and road shows in the city, it alone is being denied entry into public spaces. This gatekeeping of the public domain is viewed by the Congress party as negating the essence of healthy electoral politics.

In response, the state machinery took the discourse into the technicalities of the process. As mentioned by Government officials, including Minister Shashi Panja, all such requests for clearance of rallies must be made through the “Suvidha” portal that has been set up by the Election Commission. According to the official version, the state operates as a caretaker state during the period of the election process and allows only those events which have been registered within the mandatory time frame of 2-7 days.

Administrative Hurdles Threaten to Redraw the Campaign Map

Implications stemming from this political impasse will certainly have an impact on the rest of the election season. With the loss of the critical period up until April 23, the Congress has failed to gain a vital edge among its voters in Kolkata’s urban pockets and Hooghly’s industrial areas right before the poll starts. The fact that the party is preparing to approach the court with new demands only emphasizes the emerging conflict between the two anti-BJP camps in Bengal, namely Congress and TMC.