AAP, INDIA bloc to hold rally in Delhi today protesting Arvind Kejriwal's arrest

The 'Loktantra Bachao' (Save Democracy) rally, which will be held at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital, has been organised following the arrest of Kejriwal in the Delhi liquor policy scam last week.

The rally is also being seen as a show of strength and unity by the INDIA bloc ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to commence in a few weeks.

The opposition leaders are expected to speak out strongly against what it calls the BJP's misuse of central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and the Income Tax Department.

Their allegations have gained momentum after the arrests of Kejriwal and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, and the tax notices issued to the Congress, including one for Rs. 1,800 crore which was sent on Friday.

Some of the leaders in attendance will be Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Senior RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav. Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and the DMK's Tiruchi Siva.

The Trinamool Congress, which has decided to go solo in Bengal, is also expected to send a representative.

From the AAP, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will be at the rally with other senior leaders.

Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunita Kejriwal, and Hemant Soren's wife, Kalpana Soren, will also attend.

The Congress on Saturday asserted that the INDIA bloc’s rally will not be 'person-specific or of one party' but to save the democracy and Constitution of the country and will be called 'Loktantra Bachao' rally.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress General Secretary in-charge communication Jairam Ramesh had said, "Tomorrow's rally will not be a rally of one party or save one person but of 28 parties of INDIA alliance. Moreover, it will be necessary to save our democracy and Constitution."

The AAP has received permission from the authorities to hold the rally with more than 20,000 people. AAP's Punjab working president, Budh Ram, said the party has set a target of over 1 lakh people from the state participating in it.