Opposition unity got a fresh push on Monday as leaders of the INDIA bloc convened in New Delhi and arrived at a consensus on five key issues – chief among them writing to the Chief Justice of India over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and calling for the immediate ouster of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the wake of the NEET-CBSE controversy.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the media after the meeting, flanked by senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Mamata Banerjee. He said the bloc has collectively decided to approach the CJI over the SIR exercise and what it described as “vote loot” and the “stealing of elections.”
On the education controversy, Kharge said there was unanimous agreement among member parties that Pradhan must step down immediately, holding him responsible for what the opposition called a betrayal of lakhs of students who appeared in NEET and CBSE examinations.
The bloc also resolved to press the Central government to convene an all-party meeting to address issues including the economic situation, unemployment, price rise, farmers’ distress, and atrocities against marginalised communities.
Next Meeting in Hyderabad, Parliament Coordination Planned
Kharge also announced that INDIA bloc leaders have agreed to meet once every two months. The next conclave is scheduled in Hyderabad in August, with the exact date to be finalised later.
Follow TJP Whatsapp ChannelIn the interim, the bloc decided to step up coordination during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament through daily morning meetings at the office of the Leader of Opposition.
Who Was Present
Leaders of around 22 opposition parties, along with Independent MP Kapil Sibal, attended the meeting at Constitution Club in New Delhi. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren joined proceedings virtually.
Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Kharge represented the Congress. Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee attended for the Trinamool Congress. Akhilesh Yadav came from the Samajwadi Party, Tejashwi Yadav from the RJD, and Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti represented their respective parties from Jammu & Kashmir. Left leaders and NCP(SP)’s Supriya Sule were also among the attendees.
Notably absent were the DMK and AAP, both of which have opted out of the alliance. Tamil Nadu’s ruling party TVK also did not attend.
Background: A Bloc Under Strain
Monday’s meeting came at a delicate moment for the opposition grouping. Internal differences had been simmering after Trinamool Congress and DMK suffered defeats in the recent Assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu respectively, raising questions about the bloc’s cohesion ahead of future electoral contests.
The gathering was seen as an attempt to reset the alliance’s direction, renew strategic coordination against the BJP, and signal to the public that the opposition remains a functioning unit despite the friction within.
