Delhi traders rally behind election chief as political tensions flare

Merchants from Palika Bazaar in Delhi's Connaught Place area organized a show of support for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during a tricolour march by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), escalating political tensions in the capital's commercial hub.

The traders voiced strong opposition to the CJP's demonstration, with participants chanting slogans backing both Kumar and Delhi Police. The competing rallies highlighted deepening divisions within Delhi's business community over electoral governance and administrative decisions.

Chants of "Modi-Modi" were also reported during the counter-protest, suggesting broader political affiliations among the merchants who organized the show of support for the election chief. The incident underscores ongoing friction between various political groups and the electoral commission over governance matters.

Connaught Place, one of Delhi's premier retail and commercial zones, has occasionally witnessed political demonstrations and counter-protests in recent months. The exact cause of the CJP's original march was not immediately clear from available reports.