The INDIA bloc, facing political drift and marginalization of its key pillars, decided on Monday to meet every two months to improve cohesion and counter the BJP's onslaught. The next meeting is scheduled for August in Hyderabad, where the members will discuss an "organizational structure" for the common platform.
Weakening Opposition Acknowledged
Taking stock of the state of the opposition after key members of the TMC and RJD suffered defeats in their strongholds, and the DMK walked out, members acknowledged the weakening of the opposition. This was highlighted by the presence of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, whose party is facing an existential crisis.
Key members used the word "pressure" to describe the current situation. JMM's Hemant Soren, who joined the meeting online, said he is "under pressure," seen as a reference to Jharkhand being the only remaining opposition state in the East. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who spoke first after Mallikarjun Kharge's opening remarks, noted that the opposition had hoped to win in Bihar and West Bengal, but defeats there have put pressure on Uttar Pradesh.
New Representation and Calls for Struggle
For the first time, Tamil Nadu was represented not by its major player DMK, but by CM Vijay's TVK. Rahul Gandhi emphasized that a struggle against the BJP is the need of the hour, and coordination with the "people's struggle" led by non-political groups was suggested.
Mamata Banerjee said the Congress should take the lead in the INDIA bloc. NC's Omar Abdullah and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav urged the alliance to focus on the 2029 polls, with Abdullah calling Congress the national glue. Akhilesh and Tejashwi asked Congress to show a big heart and support regional players in their territories.
