INDIA bloc leaders begin deliberations to redraw strategy

New Delhi: Top leaders of the Opposition INDIA bloc on Monday, June 8, began deliberations here to forge unity and rework their strategy to take on the BJP, while ironing out differences within after the defeat of regional outfits like the TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.

Opposition leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress, Mamata Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress, Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD, Omar Abdullah of National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti of PDP, besides Left leaders attended the meeting at the Constitution Club in the national capital.

NCP(SP) leader Supriya Sule, CPI(M)’s John Brittas, CPI’s D Raja and leaders of some smaller parties were also part of the deliberations.

Twenty-three political parties are expected to attend the meeting, where leaders are expected to present a united front to take on the BJP surge in the country in the run-up to the next election cycle in states and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

The meeting of top opposition leaders comes after a long time as the last time they met was during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi had in August last year hosted the opposition leaders at his residence that brought together nearly 50 leaders from over 25 opposition parties. Issues of alleged electoral manipulation, particularly the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar, was raised at that meeting.

The INDIA bloc leadership has since then got together formally during consultations ahead of Parliament sessions, when opposition parties discussed floor coordination and issues to be jointly raised against the central government.

The DMK and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are not part of the deliberations as they have opted out of the bloc.

The AAP has already publicly distanced itself from the bloc, while the DMK earlier announced its decision to boycott the gathering after the Congress snapped ties with it in Tamil Nadu and joined the TVK-led government.

The recent defeat of Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal has also forced the opposition bloc to come together to take on the saffron surge in the country. The TMC is likely to raise the issue of alleged attacks on its leaders in Bengal and rally support of INDIA bloc parties.

The recent assembly elections have, however, also brought out differences within the opposition bloc, with the CPI(M) set to raise with the Congress the charge that the Left had a political understanding with the BJP in Kerala polls.

The Left parties lost against the Congress-led UDF in the only state they were in power.

The last official meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was held in New Delhi on June 1, 2024, just ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

The INDIA bloc originally constituted over 25 parties.