New Delhi: The opposition INDIA bloc on Monday attempted to project renewed unity as leaders of several opposition parties met here and agreed on a coordinated strategy around five major issues, including alleged irregularities in examinations, electoral concerns and governance matters.
The meeting, held at the Constitution Club in the national capital, ended with opposition leaders deciding to write to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) over issues they described as affecting institutional accountability and public trust. The alliance also intensified pressure on the Centre over controversies linked to examinations and recruitment tests, renewing its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
Leaders present at the meeting expressed concern over allegations surrounding national-level examinations such as NEET, CBSE and recruitment-related tests, arguing that repeated controversies had affected the confidence of students and job aspirants. The opposition bloc said the issue would be raised more aggressively both inside and outside Parliament.
“It was agreed to send a letter to the Chief Justice of India on SIR, vote loot and election theft. The letter is to be delivered to the Chief Justice of India very soon. Second, it was unanimously agreed to demand the immediate resignation of the education minister because he presided over the betrayal of lakhs of youth who appeared for the NEET and CBSE examinations. Third, the Union government should immediately call an all-party meeting to discuss the precarious current economic situation, unemployment, price rise, farmers’ issues and other people-centric issues,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told media post the meeting.
“It was agreed that all the parties would meet every two months. The next meeting will be held in Hyderabad on 8th August. The Parliament coordination will continue during the monsoon session with daily morning meetings in the office of the leader of the opposition,” he added.
Senior leaders, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, were among those present at the meeting. However, the absence of the DMK, a key southern ally, drew attention and highlighted continuing strains within sections of the opposition alliance.
The meeting came against the backdrop of recent tensions within the alliance, with several regional partners facing electoral setbacks and disagreements over state-level political equations. Political observers view Monday’s gathering as an important effort to preserve coordination among opposition parties ahead of future electoral contests and parliamentary strategy.
While leaders projected a united front on issues of accountability and governance, questions over cohesion within the bloc remain, particularly after the DMK stayed away from the meeting following differences with Congress in Tamil Nadu.
The INDIA bloc is expected to continue discussions on parliamentary coordination and issue-based campaigns in the coming weeks as opposition parties seek to sharpen their response to the ruling BJP-led government.
