Congress Protest in Delhi: Traders fear losses due to Rahul Gandhi’s rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. According to trade organizations, business could be affected by up to ₹12,000 crore. However, markets are also expecting business worth up to ₹50 crore due to Rahul Gandhi’s appeal.
Will the opposition rally benefit or harm Delhi’s traders?
New Delhi: A major rally by the Congress and India Alliance is scheduled to be held today, November 1, 2026, at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. Congress and opposition parties have organized this protest against alleged irregularities in the voter list and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and leaders from several opposition parties are expected to attend the rally. The opposition alliance has claimed that around 1 million people will attend the rally. Meanwhile, Delhi’s business organizations and the BJP have raised questions about the impact of this rally on business.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has also posted a business-related post on Instagram. He appealed to the millions of people attending the rally, “It’s the festival season. It’s the time of Diwali, Chhath, and Bhai Dooj. I want the millions of people coming to Delhi from outside to help the local businesses. Protest, march, rally, and do some shopping as well—it will benefit the businesses.” Some estimates suggest that people coming to Delhi from other states for rallies or other purposes often buy something. If Rahul Gandhi’s appeal works, Delhi’s businesses could benefit significantly from this rally.
What are the businesses worried about?
This rally, scheduled to be held at Ramlila Maidan, is expected to impact business in approximately 20 major markets in the capital. Business organizations claim that this could impact business worth between ₹10,000 and ₹12,000 crore per day.
According to the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), the rally is expected to disrupt business in major markets like Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Chawri Bazaar, Khari Baoli, Connaught Place, and Daryaganj. These markets typically see a large crowd of customers during Diwali. Traffic jams, road closures, and police restrictions could make it difficult for customers to reach the shops.
1 million people expected to gather
According to trade organizations, approximately 1 million people are expected to attend the rally. Additionally, 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles are expected. The large number of people and vehicles could cause heavy traffic jams in central Delhi. This could impact the movement of goods and services.
Markets to remain open on Sundays
Generally, major markets in Delhi, such as Sadar Bazaar, Chawri Bazaar, and Chandni Chowk, are closed on Sundays. Since it’s Diwali season, most shops in the markets are expected to remain open on Sundays. Because of this, it’s been said that the rally will impact business on Sunday. However, most big businesses keep their shops closed on Sundays.
Benefits or losses from the rally?
While the Congress rally is said to cause losses to businesses, another aspect also emerges. Whenever someone comes to Delhi from another state, they usually buy something. Since 1 million people are expected to attend the rally, if Rahul Gandhi’s appeal impacts the rally’s attendees, businesses could see substantial profits.
Assuming an average person spends ₹500 on shopping, food, and drinks, then 1 million people will spend approximately ₹50 crore. This means that this amount will go into the pockets of Delhi’s businesses.
How accurate is the claim of a loss of ₹12,000 crore?
Business organizations claim that the rally could impact business by up to ₹12,000 crore. This figure could be significantly lower on Sunday. Major markets in Delhi typically see higher business volumes from Monday to Saturday. Sundays are closed, which reduces business. Therefore, traders can benefit from the purchases made by rally-goers during Sunday’s market hours. This means the rally will not significantly impact business due to the Sunday market closure.
A chance for significant shopping in many places
As festivals like Diwali, Bhai Dooj, and Chhath are approaching, and the cold has also arrived in a significant way, rally-goers may be interested in purchasing festival-related items, warm clothing, shoes, cosmetics, and makeup items. The wedding season is also about to begin, which could lead to increased business for these businesses.
Curated by: Rajesh Bharti
About the Author
Rajesh Bharti is an Assistant News Editor at Navbharat Times (Digital). He joined Navbharat Times, the digital wing of the Times of India Group, in July 2024. Rajesh Bharti works on the Business Desk at NBT Digital.
Courtesy: Hindi News