A day after a high-voltage standoff with the Delhi Police that ended with the detention of Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders and an FIR against several protesters, the INDIA bloc on Wednesday decided to take its battle over alleged “vote chori” to Jantar Mantar.The decision was taken after Opposition MPs gathered for lunch at Sagar Ratna on Janpath, where Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted the leaders to discuss the next course of action.The MPs later boarded buses for Jantar Mantar, located a little over a kilometre from the restaurant, as the Opposition sought to keep its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar alive.The move came after Tuesday’s dramatic events, when Opposition MPs marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters but were stopped by security personnel.The standoff later shifted to Akashvani Bhawan, where Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several other leaders sat in a prolonged dharna before being detained.With security arrangements tightened across central Delhi and no other venue being permitted for the protest, the Opposition decided to move to the designated protest site at Jantar Mantar.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “All INDIA alliance partners will protest against Gyanesh Kumar at Jantar Mantar today. Until our demand is met, we will continue to protest. Whatever the Election Commission is doing, Narendra Modi is behind it. That means Modi ji himself is trying to destroy democracy.”“Therefore, we, the people of all parties, want to come together and tell the people of the country that their rights are being snatched away. No matter how many cases are filed against us to protect the rights of the people, we will not be afraid or stop,” Kharge added.Speaking after the lunch, Rahul said around 300 MPs had wanted to meet the Chief Election Commissioner but were not allowed to hold their protest outside the Election Commission. He said the Opposition would therefore go to Jantar Mantar and sit together there.Rahul reiterated his demand for Kumar’s resignation and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the CEC had undermined democracy.He also repeated his allegation of “vote chori” and said those responsible would be held accountable.The Congress leader also brushed aside the FIR registered after Tuesday’s protest. Asked about the case, he said he already had 45 FIRs and wanted the number to reach 100, describing every FIR as a “medal”.Congress Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “Since Delhi Police under Amit Shah is not allowing us to protest anywhere in the capital, all buses carrying MPs of Opposition parties are now moving to Jantar Mantar, the designated spot for peaceful protests. Article 19 gives us our Constitutional right for democratic protest.”Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said the leaders would not be intimidated by police cases and that their campaign to “save democracy and the Constitution” would continue.Hooda said he had learnt that his name was also included in an FIR but maintained that the Opposition leaders had gathered for lunch and would continue with their political programme.