Liquor dispute and promises to women
Yadav contrasted the BJP's earlier opposition to neighborhood liquor shops under the Aam Aadmi Party's policy with what he described as its decision to allow home delivery. He questioned whether delivering alcohol to homes would make women safer.
"I do not understand under what kind of policy this government is working. You have completely sidelined the promises you made," he said.
A separate account of the online booking scheme in The Indian Express described a pickup service rather than home delivery. According to Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) officials cited in that report, customers use the corporation's "Delhi Liquor Booking" app to order from 208 DSIIDC outlets and must collect their purchases at the selected store within 48 hours. Officials said the app launched in November 2025, following approval in December 2024.
AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded on October 28, 2026, that the scheme be withdrawn within 24 hours. He threatened a mass agitation and said the party would seek Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa's resignation if it was not scrapped, The Indian Express reported.
Yadav also challenged the government over financial support for women and pollution control. "Where is the Rs 2,500? You had promised to end pollution; has it ended?" he asked. He said society and ordinary people were bearing the cost of political differences.
The Delhi Cabinet approved the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana on July 28, 2026, according to The Tribune. The scheme provides for monthly payments of Rs 2,500 to more than 17 lakh eligible women, covering those ages 21 to 60 whose annual family income does not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh. Its online application portal was scheduled to open August 1, 2026. The government allocated Rs 5,110 crore in the 2026-27 budget.
Congress organizes workers as police prepare for crowds
For the November 1 rally, Yadav said Congress was organizing participation by booth-level workers throughout Delhi's districts. All India Congress Committee observers and district officials appointed by the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee have been meeting workers ahead of the gathering.
Yadav described the response from workers and the public as strong. He said Delhi Congress expected as many as 10 lakh attendees, including people traveling from outside the capital.
Police anticipate a smaller crowd of about 50,000, according to ThePrint's PTI report. Their security and crowd-management plans call for roughly 3,500 personnel, more than 200 CCTV cameras, 14 zones at the venue and 10 companies of reserve forces.
The Indian Express reported that Delhi Police had issued Congress a No Objection Certificate for the rally, covering October 25 through November 3, 2026.
Electoral-roll allegations and the campaign timeline
The INDIA bloc plans to use the rally to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and arrest, alleging electoral manipulation and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The gathering forms part of the opposition alliance's "Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao" campaign, announced earlier in October 2026, The Indian Express reported.
Before the rally, opposition leaders plan an October 30 "public impeachment" proceeding against Kumar. After encountering difficulties securing permission for other venues, they chose Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence on Rajaji Marg, according to ThePrint's PTI report.
The Election Commission of India changed Delhi's SIR timetable on September 26, 2026. The revised schedule extended the deadline for claims and objections to October 30 and moved publication of the final electoral roll from November 4 to December 4, 2026.
