CJP Mumbai protest today: Why Dipke zeroed in on Mumbai – There’s a Rahul Gandhi link

The CJP Mumbai protest will commence today, targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The immediate impetus for the protest is the Express investigation exposing internal rifts within the Election Commission. However, the selection of Mumbai as the protest location carries a deeper significance. At a press conference in Mumbai, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke elucidated his reasoning.

He pointed out that in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured only nine of the 48 seats in Mumbai. Six months later, during the state Assembly elections, the BJP emerged as the single-largest party, capturing 132 of the 288 seats. Dipke emphasized that this shift in power dynamics in Mumbai is the focal point of their agitation.

He remarked in Marathi, "Delhi che hi takht rakhto Maharashtra maza [Even the Delhi throne is guarded by Maharashtra]." This statement underscores the perceived centralization of power in Delhi and the need to challenge it locally. Despite the police denying permission for the protest in Shivaji Park, Dipke remained undeterred, drawing an analogy to Mahatma Gandhi's struggle against colonial rule.

He noted that just as Gandhi fought against the British without their permission, the CJP is determined to stand up against those in power, regardless of the obstacles.