NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders were being put into buses, some Congress leaders had already left and the INDIA bloc's protest march towards the Election Commission on Tuesday seemed all but over. A familiar script was playing out -- until it was not.

Around noon, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had climbed a barricade near the NITI Aayog office and waved the Tricolour as cameras clicked. He then climbed down, and police began detaining MPs who had sat on the road after their march demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation was stopped.

But Gandhi, who had yet to be taken into a bus, soon shifted the scene.

After speaking to his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra seated inside one of the buses, he dashed towards the reception entrance of Akashvani Bhavan around 12.20 pm, catching many opposition MPs, including some from his own party, by surprise.

Until then, the action had centred on Parliament Street, where security personnel stopped the march from the Parliament House complex towards the poll body's headquarters.

Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Abhishek Banerjee, Derek O'Brien and Mahua Moitra, and CPI(M) MP John Brittas were among those put into the buses.

With several leaders detained and others leaving, there was little indication that the protest was about to move into the grounds of the broadcasting house.

At the reception entrance near gate number 3 of Akashvani Bhavan, the staff tried to prevent Gandhi from entering, leading to a tense stand-off. He eventually pushed his way inside, accompanied by his security personnel.

Around 12.30 pm, Priyanka Gandhi alighted from the bus, walked towards the entrance and joined her brother.

The two sat under a tree near gate number 4 as staff of the broadcasting house rushed outside to watch the unfolding drama.

Several took selfies with Gandhi before security personnel restrained them. Some climbed onto the building's terrace to get a view, prompting police to ask them to come down.

Outside, Congress leaders began gathering at the reception entrance, seeking to join Gandhi inside.

Around 12.45 pm, party general secretary K C Venugopal and Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera reached the gate and sought entry. Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Sachin Sharma arrived at the spot and began talks with the leaders, who eventually entered the premises.

Congress MPs Praniti Shinde, Deepender Hooda and Charanjit Singh Channi, and Seva Dal chief Srinivas B V were also present. Gandhi's staff members Alankar Sawai and Srivatsa were inside as well.

Several MPs, including Brittas, returned to the protest site after being released from detention. Leaders who had been taken away in buses were back as the gathering continued into the afternoon.

Mats were laid out on the ground under the tree in the afternoon, and the leaders sat there. While Rahul Gandhi remained mostly seated, Priyanka Gandhi engaged in talks with the police.

Refreshments began arriving for those inside.

Packets of potato chips, bhujiya and chocolates, along with water bottles and soft drinks, were brought from a kiosk outside NITI Aayog. Diet Cokes were brought from Patel Chowk, and rolls arrived from the popular Khan Chacha eatery.

Later, Srinivas was seen clearing away the used packets around the area where the leaders had gathered. In the evening, tubes of mosquito repellent were also brought inside.

At one point, the crowd outside Akashvani Bhavan swelled as Congress workers gathered and raised slogans in Rahul Gandhi's support.

Around 2.30 pm, reporters pushed their microphones through the grille as Gandhi spoke to them from inside the premises.

"I don't care what the BJP says. I am standing here to protect democracy," he said.

"What has been done to the country is treason. Be it PM Modi, Shah, the RSS chief or Gyanesh Kumar, none will be spared," Gandhi alleged.

Two hours later, Gandhi spoke to reporters again, making it clear that he would not leave until the Election Commission committed to a meeting with all INDIA bloc MPs.

The Akashvani staff, who had peered from the balcony and windows for hours, could eventually be seen shutting the windows, as Congress leaders also shared clips of the curiosity their presence had generated.

What had seemed close to ending at the barricades stretched into the night, before police detained Gandhi around 8.10 pm and cleared the Akashvani Bhavan premises.