New Delhi: The INDI alliance is holding a mega rally in Jharkhand's capital city Ranchi on Sunday, April 21. Ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, INDI leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's spouse Kalpana are expected to address the 'Ulgulan Nyay' rally in Ranchi. The Opposition sees the rally as a show of strength for INDI bloc amid the ongoing elections. 

Posters of INDI alliance leaders including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party MP Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren put up at Rally Ground in Ranchi ahead of the mega rally of INDI alliance. A total of 28 political parties will take part in the rally, which will be held at the Prabhat Tara Ground. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT), and Dipankar Bhattacharya of CPI (ML) Liberation will also attend the rally. Over 5 lakh people are expected to attend the rally, being held amid the ongoing elections.

Earlier, INDI bloc parties held a joint ‘Save India’ rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on March 31 against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, and actions against other opposition leaders by central agencies.

TMC To Attend Ranchi's Rally 

After drifting away from the INDI bloc over seat-sharing tussle, Trinamool Congress will also be attending Ranchi's rally. While Banerjee herself is unlikely to attend due to the ongoing election campaign, the party will send its representatives, reported PTI. 

 The TMC, which is going solo in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha polls after the seat-sharing talks with the Congress failed, was represented in the rally by party leader Derek O’Brien and Sagarika Ghose in the Delhi rally. 

JMM Names INDI Rally - Ulgulan Nyay rally

Jharkhand CM and JMM leader Champai Soren claimed this time, the 'ulgulan' was against inflation, injustice to farmers and the "crushing" of the opposition. 'Ulugulan', which means revolution, was coined during Birsa Munda's fight against the British for the rights of the tribals. Quoting Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana posted on X, "Jharkhand will not bow down." Taking a dig, state BJP president Deepak Prakash said "all corrupt forces" were coming for a family get-together at the rally. 

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji recalled how the tribals of the Chhotanagpur plateau led a revolt against the British imperialist, in reference to the Ulgulan Nyay rally. “People from all across Jharkhand are coming here for the 'Ulgulan Nyay rally'. Jharkhand is known for ‘Ulgulan’ (the Great Tumult), a movement started by Birsa Munda against the exploitation of tribals by the Britishers. Members of the INDI alliance too will gather here as part of our fight against the fascist forces. Together we will appeal to the people to support us in our fight to save democracy,” said JMM MP Mahua Maji.

History of 'Ulgulan' Revolt

Ulgulan was coined by Birsa Munda and often the Munda rebellion is also known as ‘Ulgulan’ or ‘the Great Tumult’. Birsa Munda himself led the rebellion aimed at driving away the Britishers and establishing self-governance- ‘Munda Raj’. The rebellion took place in the region south of Ranchi in 1899-1900.

Leader of the opposition Amar Bauri said that JMM could not cover up the actions of its leaders by using "sacred words like ulgulan". "Birsa Munda did 'ulgulan' against the injustice and oppression of the British. By using the word 'ulgulan', they are playing with the sentiments of the people of Jharkhand, which has been their old way of doing politics," he said.