The trade community in Delhi has requested that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi move their planned 1st November 2026 rally scheduled to take place in Ramlila Maidan. They are worried that the rally will cause a disruption to business in the 21 major wholesale and retail markets throughout Delhi.

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) said that a rally could disrupt business worth around 10,000 crore rupees. They have requested that Congress leaders reschedule the rally to after 10th November so they can carry on running their businesses.

Reasons Why Delhi Traders are Against a Rally on 1st November

Delhi traders are worried that there will be a high volume of traffic caused by the rally.

The CTI said that there could be 10 lakhs of people attending the rally. This could cause a build-up of traffic with around 20,000 vehicles. This could cause road closures, road blocks, road diversions and closure of metro stations.

This would cause issues for customers, wholesalers and retailers as they wouldn’t be able to easily get to markets around Ramlila Maidan. It is a busy time for businesses as they prepare for the increase in demand.

Traders have asked the Congress to consider moving the rally.

21 Major Markets Could Be Affected

• The CTI said that there are over 20 major wholesale and retail markets within 5km of Ramlila Maidan.
• These markets include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Chawri Bazaar, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Kashmere Gate, Daryaganj, Karol Bagh, Azad Market and Lajpat Rai Market.
• Every day these markets receive thousands of customers and traders from across Delhi and other nearby states. Many businesses rely on wholesale trading.
• Traders are worried that there being road closures and difficulty getting to the markets would cause fewer customers to come.
• With the New Delhi and Old Delhi railway stations close to the rally location, buyers coming from other cities may struggle to get to the markets.

Traders Warn That 10,000 Crore Could Be Lost

• The traders said that if there was a disruption to business then around 10,000 crore rupees could be affected.
• They also said that the Dhanteras shopping period is an important time for Delhi markets as there will be an increase in demand for jewellery, gold, silver, electronics, clothes, cars, utensils and more.
• Around 25,000 crore rupees worth of business is expected to happen across different industries.
• The traders said that in October there were previous protests and road closures which resulted in huge losses. Therefore they have asked to move the rally.
• However the traders are estimating how much business could be affected.

Rahul Gandhi’s Response

• The controversy has prompted a response from Rahul Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
• While he said he supported the traders in Delhi, he also said that this was due to the Opposition claims.
• He said that there have already been issues with road closures and the metro due to the restrictions. He also said that the Opposition are calling for action to be taken against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar due to allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
• The rally is part of the INDIA bloc campaign on the electoral roll issue.
• The traders are requesting that the Congress and other INDIA bloc parties consider their request. However as of 27th October there has been no confirmation that the rally will be moved.

Why the Rally Date Matters to Delhi Businesses

The time before Diwali is one of the busiest times of the year for the trade markets in Delhi. Retailers and wholesalers will rely on increased spending from customers to earn a large portion of their annual income.

Many industries will see increased sales due to the festive shopping period. This includes jewellery, clothes, electronics, home furnishings, cars and consumer products.

Many buyers will visit the wholesale markets in Delhi from nearby states. Due to any possible disruption to transport and access to businesses this could affect local retailers and those supplying goods to other regions.

Traders have said that if the rally can be moved then it will help protect their livelihoods. Political parties can still carry out their activities after the festive period.

Traders Ask For Rally To Be Moved After 10th November

The CTI have asked for the rally to be moved to after 10th November.

They understand political parties wanting to hold rallies and peaceful protests however they stated that big events should also consider the needs of businesses, customers and staff.

This has added another layer to the controversy around the planned rally.