Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi | AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday said the party's protest rally against CEC Gyanesh Kumar to be held during the day at Ramlila grounds in the national capital was a "stern warning" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Congress has alleged electoral irregularities and demanded the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.

Venugopal told the media in Delhi that it will be a protest like never before and that it has affected the composure of the PM and Home Minister.

"They have lost their composure seeing the magnitude of the public support for the protest. That is why they are making statements that the protestors are anarchists and the agitation was an insult to the Parliament. The protest is a stern warning to them," the Congress leader said.

"Gyanesh will be removed from his post. Take it from us," he added.

Venugopal also said that it would be "good for the police" if they cooperate.

State Health Minister K Muraleedharan, who is in Delhi to take part in the rally, told the media that people of India want Kumar to resign as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the protest by the INDIA bloc will continue till he does.

State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who also reached Delhi for the rally, told reporters that the protest was a fight to rescue India as our parliamentary democracy is in danger.

"The Election Commission is helping the BJP in an autocratic manner, and the protest has revealed this to the public. Such an agitation has not been seen in the recent history of India. People are supporting it. The central government needs to open its eyes. The resignation of Kumar should be announced. That is our demand. We will not allow any move to sabotage free and fair elections in the country," he told reporters.

He also said that in addition to the complaint against Kumar regarding the 2006 Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), several other allegations have also been made against him.

Those allegations are being examined by the vigilance department, he said.

The complaints have not been placed before the government, he said, adding that when they are received, appropriate steps will be taken.

The minister was referring to the alleged corruption in the KSTP road project, undertaken in 2006 when Kumar was serving as Public Works Department secretary.

In 2006, the KSTP undertook a World Bank-funded project worth Rs 215 crore to reconstruct the MC Road from Angamaly to Thiruvananthapuram.

PATI-BEL, a joint venture between a Malaysian firm and Bhageeratha Engineering, was awarded the project.

The Malaysian company carried out the work. Its project engineer, Lee See Been, allegedly raised several complaints during construction before returning to Malaysia, where he died by suicide.

Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Saturday said that when democracy was under challenge, silence was not an option and urged everyone to join the protest rally.

"Chalo Dilli! When democracy is challenged, silence is not an option. The Constitution is our strength. The people’s mandate is our responsibility. Defending both is our collective duty," he said on 'X'.