Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Last-Minute Lunches Turn Delhi Restaurants Into Opposition Meeting Points
Opposition lawmakers met for lunch at two Delhi restaurants on consecutive days.
On Wednesday, about 100 INDIA bloc MPs went to Sagar Ratna on Janpath.
The lunch came a day after police broke up their march to the Election Commission.
The restaurant said the booking was made at short notice and the group ate vegetarian food.
The Samajwadi Party did not attend, and Jairam Ramesh said the invitation had gone out late.
The next day, about 100 Opposition MPs met at Moets in Connaught Place.
Its manager said the restaurant received an emergency booking call around 9.30am.
The meetings happened while the bloc was protesting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revision issues.
Around 100 INDIA bloc MPs ate lunch at Sagar Ratna on Janpath on Wednesday, a day after police broke up their march to the Election Commission.
The Sagar Ratna booking was arranged at short notice; the manager said the group could be accommodated after 2pm because another booking had been made.
The Samajwadi Party was absent from the Sagar Ratna lunch; Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said the late invitation meant some parties could not attend.
The following day, around 100 Opposition MPs gathered for a buffet at Moets in Connaught Place after an emergency booking call around 9.30am.
The gatherings took place during protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revision issues; leaders later went to Rajghat and the protest continued.
- Who
- Around 100 INDIA bloc MPs at Sagar Ratna and around 100 Opposition MPs at Moets; named attendees included Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
- What
- Opposition MPs held lunches at Sagar Ratna and Moets on consecutive days.
- When
- Wednesday and the following morning/day; the Moets booking call came around 9.30am.
- Where
- Sagar Ratna on Janpath and Moets in Connaught Place, Delhi.
- Why
- The lunches took place amid INDIA bloc protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revision issues.
- Sagar Ratna gathering
- Around 100 INDIA bloc MPs attended on Wednesday.
- Sagar Ratna booking
- The reports differ on the precise notice: one says the restaurant had barely two hours’ notice; the other says it received the booking the previous night.
- Moets gathering
- Around 100 Opposition MPs had a buffet there the following day.
- Moets booking
- The manager said an emergency lunch booking call came around 9.30am.
- Protest context
- The INDIA bloc was protesting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll revision issues.
- Sagar Ratna attendees
- Named attendees included Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
- Samajwadi Party
- The party was absent from the Sagar Ratna lunch; an MP cited a miscommunication that had been sorted out.
