INDIA block meeting: Opposition leaders seek unity, deliberately redraw strategy

Leaders of the INDIA bloc are seen during a meeting in New Delhi on June 8, 2026. | Photo credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

A meeting of INDIA’s opposition bloc – to consolidate unity and rework its strategy to take on the BJP – began in Delhi on June 8, 2026.

The meeting was attended by top leaders of opposition parties, including Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Ab.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray attended the INDIA block meeting virtually. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said: “Shiv Sena (UBT) remains a committed member of the INDIA alliance. Our consistent position has been – and will continue to be – that the INDIA bloc will become more united and stronger.”

Mr. Raut said, “We will fight together against the serious challenges facing the nation and bring meaningful change in 2029.”

In another jolt to the TMC, party MP Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Rajya Sabha

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in his opening speech said, “We have decisively demonstrated our solidarity and unity in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 as we stood firmly together to defeat the Modi government’s mischievous delimitation laws.”

Mr. Kharge further said, “We must now step up and continue in the same spirit to face the myriad political, economic, social and foreign policy challenges the country is facing due to the misgovernance of the Modi government.”

Mr. Kharge charged that the attack on the constitution continues and investigative agencies are constantly being used as tools to harass, intimidate and bully political opponents.

He also stressed that the economic environment is extremely negative and new investment is not coming at the pace needed to create new jobs.

The Congress chief also pointed to the “total mismanagement” of the examination system that has dashed the hopes and aspirations of thousands of youngsters.

Touting the unity among the opposition leaders, he said, “On 17 April 2026, we demonstrated our unity and solidarity in the Lok Sabha in a very decisive manner as we all came together firmly to defeat the Modi government’s mischievous delimitation laws.

“Now we need to further strengthen the same spirit and move forward to face the many political, economic, social and foreign policy challenges the country is facing due to the misgovernance of the Modi government,” Mr Kharge said at the start of the meeting.

“The attack on the Constitution continues unabated. Investigative agencies are persistently used as tools to harass, intimidate and bully political opponents,” he said, adding that there was discrimination against non-BJP governments.

Asked about the agenda, Akhilesh Yadav said decisions will be taken collectively by the alliance partners.

“We will decide on the program in the meeting,” Yadav told reporters, adding that efforts would be made to move towards a “bandhu rashtra”. It is important to protect democratic values, he said.

CPI general secretary D Raja said the meeting was significant as it was held after a considerable gap and at a time when the constituent parties had several issues that required discussion.

(With inputs from PTI)

Published – 08 Jun 2026 12:52 IST