The opposition INDIA bloc is set to hold a meeting in New Delhi on Monday, marking its first formal gathering in several months. The meeting comes after recent assembly elections in four states and the Union territory of Puducherry, which dealt a setback to the opposition alliance. The BJP, aiming for a fourth consecutive term at the Centre in 2029, secured a historic victory in West Bengal for the first time and retained Assam for a third straight term.
Meeting details and agenda
According to reports, the meeting has been convened at the request of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which suffered a major setback after losing power in West Bengal following 15 years in office and is now grappling with internal dissent. The Mamata Banerjee-led party has had a fluctuating relationship with the INDIA bloc and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections independently in West Bengal. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 12 noon at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi and is expected to focus on reviewing the opposition's recent electoral performance and charting a strategy for political challenges ahead.
Parties attending the INDIA bloc meet
Ahead of the gathering, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh confirmed that 23 parties would participate, while noting that some parties had opted out for their own reasons. Despite their absence, he said those parties remained aligned with the opposition's criticism of the Narendra Modi government. In a social media post, Ramesh wrote that they had conveyed their strong opposition to policies and actions that were snatching away the right to vote for millions of Indians, assaulting the Constitution daily, attacking opposition leaders through investigative agencies, harming livelihoods, fuelling inflation, undermining youth aspirations, weakening the investment climate, and compromising national interests through foreign policy. Uddhav Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena (UBT), a member of the bloc, will attend virtually.
Parties skipping the INDIA bloc meet
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has announced it will skip the meeting, citing what it described as the Congress's betrayal. The decision follows a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu, where the Congress broke ranks with its long-time ally DMK and joined hands with actor-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The alliance helped the TVK come to power in the state, ending the DMK's one-term stint in office and straining ties between the two parties. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also reportedly set to skip the meeting.
Tensions within the INDIA bloc
Another key issue hanging over the meeting is the dispute between Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist over remarks made during the Kerala assembly election campaign. CPM general secretary MA Baby has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge seeking clarification over repeated allegations by Congress leaders that the CPM had an understanding with the BJP in Kerala. Tensions have also been reported between the Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) after the grand old party unilaterally announced a candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.
