Protecting federalism must be the “glue” of the INDIA block
“Defeating the BJP alone cannot be the sole objective of the alliance” | Photo credit: ANI
On June 2026 at a meeting of political parties under the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc in New Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah noted that the Congress party is the only party with a presence in all Indian states, while other parties are usually limited to one or two states. He therefore argued that the Congress is the only party capable of acting as the “glue” that holds the alliance together.
Congress leads, but informally
All components of the alliance recognize the pivotal role Congress plays in moving the INDIA bloc forward. Even the Left parties, despite their various criticisms of the Congress, broadly agree with this view. Criticism leveled against the Congress during the alliance meetings is that it failed to effectively facilitate the electoral success of its partners and at times campaigned in a manner that challenged the core principles and policy positions of its allies.
The INDIA Bloc was formed ahead of the 2024 general elections as a loose coalition of parties against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Although the Congress played a significant role in its formation, some alliance partners did not agree to the party taking formal leadership of the coalition. No leader was elected for the alliance either. While action plans were occasionally drawn up and resolutions adopted, the alliance never developed into a formal organizational structure.
The basis of unity
Contrary to Mr. Abdullah’s claims, it is not the Congress that serves as the “glue” of the bloc; rather, a shared concern about the BJP is the objective factor that brought the coalition into being The lawless and authoritarian political behavior of the BJP has created fear among all non-BJP parties. It is this fear that acts as a unifying force for the opposition.
As a result, there is an urgent need for all parties – which realize that they have no meaningful political future unless the BJP is defeated in the coming general elections – to work in unison.
However, defeating the BJP itself cannot be the only objective of the alliance. The INDIA block includes both national and regional parties. It is true that BJP’s dominant style of politics threatens the very existence of opposition parties.
But more importantly, it poses a threat to the Constitution, parliamentary democracy, secularism and federal principles enshrined in the Constitution by increasingly concentrating power in the hands of the Union Government. As a result, the opposition to the BJP has brought these parties together and there is nothing wrong with that.
States’ rights matter
However, an alliance formed only out of fear cannot last long. The principle of federalism and the constitution that supports it must serve as the real “glue” that gives this alliance cohesion and an organized structure. It is essential that not only the national parties within the alliance – such as the Congress – but also the regional parties from North India, where awareness of states’ rights is often lacking, embrace the belief that states’ rights must be protected. Only by internalizing this principle can the bloc effectively move forward.
While Congress understands the importance of upholding the Constitution, it remains reluctant to fully recognize and enforce states’ rights. He will truly understand the significance of regional parties only when he recognizes that federalism is one of the basic features of the constitution and that secularism alone is not enough to differentiate it from the BJP. If the Congress continues to sideline federalism, it risks being seen by regional parties as merely a stand-in for the BJP rather than an alternative political force.
D. Ravikumar is a second term Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Viluppuram, Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu and is the General Secretary of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)
Published – 11 Jun 2026 0:08 IST