Congress | Reviving the Seva Dal

On the night of October 31, 2026, 24 hours before the November 1 rally of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or the INDIA bloc, Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan was a swamp. Heavy rains had left the ground waterlogged, and with thousands of Opposition workers expected in the capital, the Congress faced an embarrassing logistical crisis. Till Seva Dal chief organiser B.V. Srinivas, along with Delhi PCC president Devender Yadav and others, came to the rescue. Volunteers drained the water and dumpers filled the slushy patches with dry mud. By morning, the venue was ready, and through the day 3,000 Dal volunteers guided the people, manned the gates and served water to the thirsty.

Kaushik Deka is Managing Editor of India Today magazine and Editor of India Today NE. He is the author of The Baba Ramdev Phenomenon: From Moksha to Market and co-author of The Secret Killings of Assam. He covers national politics, law and education, but his deepest passion remains India’s Northeast, a region closest to his heart.