The Opposition INDIA bloc on Monday concluded a strategy meeting in New Delhi with five major resolutions, including a decision to approach the Chief Justice of India over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and a unanimous demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said leaders representing 25 political parties had participated in the discussions and collectively agreed upon five action points.
The first resolution involved writing to the Chief Justice of India over concerns surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), allegations of voter manipulation and what opposition leaders described as attempts at “stealing elections”. “It was agreed to send a letter to the Chief Justice on SIR, vote loot and stealing election. The letter will be delivered very soon,” Kharge said.
The bloc also unanimously resolved to intensify its demand for the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, accusing him of failing students amid controversies surrounding major examinations. “He presided over the betrayal of lakhs of youth who appeared for NEET and CBSE examinations,” opposition leaders said, while reiterating their demand for accountability.
As part of the third resolution, the INDIA bloc called upon the Union Government to convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on what leaders described as India’s worsening economic conditions. The alliance said concerns over unemployment, inflation, agrarian distress and other livelihood-related issues required urgent bipartisan discussion. According to Mallikarjun Kharge, the bloc wants an immediate dialogue on “the precarious economic situation, farmers’ issues and other people’s concerns, including price rise”.
The fourth decision centred around strengthening internal coordination within the alliance. Leaders agreed to hold meetings at regular intervals, with the next gathering scheduled to take place in Hyderabad, on August 8. “All of us will meet every two months,” Kharge said, indicating a renewed effort to maintain cohesion among alliance partners.
The fifth and final resolution focused on parliamentary coordination. Opposition leaders agreed to hold daily morning meetings during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament at the office of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to ensure a unified floor strategy.
The meeting assumed significance as it came against the backdrop of visible unease among several INDIA bloc constituents and concerns regarding the alliance’s political direction. Notably, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) skipped the gathering.
The DMK had earlier announced its decision to stay away, reportedly citing disagreements over the Congress party’s post-poll understanding with actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu.
Despite the absence of some regional allies, several senior opposition leaders attended the meeting, underscoring efforts to project unity. Those present included Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress; West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee; Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav; Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav; National Conference leader Omar Abdullah; and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.
Leaders from Left parties, including CPI(M)’s John Brittas and CPI general secretary D Raja, were also part of the discussions. NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule attended the meeting, while Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray joined virtually.
