23 opposition parties to attend ‘INDIA janbandhan’ meeting: Congress

Congress President Malikarjun Kharge with other leaders of the INDIA bloc. File | Photo credit: The Hindu

Amid turmoil within the INDIA bloc, with at least three major factions — DMK, CPI(M) and JMM — raising questions about Monday’s (June 8, 2026) meeting of the opposition coalition, the Congress on Sunday (June 7, 2026) sought to push for unity, claiming the participation of the 23 parties gathered in Delhi. “strong opposition” to the Narendra Modi government’s policies.

The bloc faces one crisis after another. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has already announced that it will not attend the meeting, calling the Congress’s decision to tie up with Tamil Nadu’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) a “betrayal”.

Separately, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary MA Baby has written to all INDIA bloc partners highlighting the Congress’ campaign against the Left in Kerala, while the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is learned to be unhappy with the Congress unilaterally announcing its candidate for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats up for election in Jharkhand.

In a post on X, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said that 23 political parties have confirmed participation in the ‘INDIA janbandhan’ meeting. “There are some parties who have expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons, even as they have expressed their strong opposition to the policies of the Modi government,” Mr. Ramesh said.

According to sources, the meeting was called at the insistence of the Trinamool Congress, which is facing internal tension in West Bengal. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee are expected to attend.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien, quoting Mr Ramesh’s post on X, said: “A meeting with a common goal and a clear intention. INDIA united. Many parties look forward to meeting in a spirit of camaraderie.” Like India itself, ‘INDIA janbandhan’ continues to remain united through its diversity, he added.

Outlining the agenda of the meeting, Mr. Ramesh said the opposition parties are united against the government’s moves, including “attempts to disenfranchise millions of Indians”, “attacking the constitution on a daily basis”, “assaulting opposition leaders through investigative agencies”, “severely damaging the livelihood of hundreds of Indians”, “breaking domestic budgets through hopes”. youth’, ‘damping the investment climate’ and ‘compromising national interests through its foreign policy’.

Published – 07 Jun 2026 16:09 IST