The INDIA bloc is set to hold a crucial meeting in New Delhi on Monday at 12 pm, with attention focused on the Congress and Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool
Congress, the two alliance partners that chose not to contest the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections together. The meeting comes ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and bypolls in several states. Confirming the gathering, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “23 political parties have confirmed their participation in the INDIA Janbandhan meeting at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 12 noon.” He said there are some parties who expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons - "even though they have conveyed their strong opposition to the Modi Govt’s policies and actions that are snatching away the right to vote for millions of Indians, assaulting the Constitution daily, attacking Opposition leaders through investigative agencies, seriously damaging the livelihoods of crores of Indians, breaking household budgets through relentless price rise, betraying the hopes and aspirations of lakhs of youth, dampening investment climate, and compromising the national interest by its foreign policy." Reacting to Jairam Ramesh's post, TMC leader Derek O'Brien said, "Meeting with a common purpose and clear intent. INDIA united. Many parties look forward to meeting in the spirit of camaraderie."
DMK, VCK To Not Attend Key Meet
Notably, the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had earlier informed about its decision that it won't be able to participate in the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, citing the Congress' "betrayal" post Tamil Nadu Election 2026.While the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) said it will participate in the INDIA bloc meeting, CPM state secretary Srinivas Rao said, “The Congress is not acting as a serious opposition. The INDIA bloc will be united only if Congress proves its charges against CPI.”
CPIM Seeks Congress Clarification
CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby has written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge seeking clarification over allegations made by Congress leaders during the Keralam Assembly elections against the party and its leadership.In the letter, MA Baby said he had been informed by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal about the INDIA bloc meeting and raised concerns over what he described as a "systematic campaign" by the Congress leadership in Keralam that alleged that the CPI(M) and the BJP had struck a deal.
Key Agenda Of INDIA Bloc Meet
As per the reports, the opposition leaders will be meeting in the national capital to redraw their strategy against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The meet is likely called following the defeat of regional parties, such as TMC and DMK, in the recent concluded West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.The alliance is set to deliberate on the future course of action and will aim to put a united face against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government on national issues.
Additionally, Mamata Banerjee's TMC is also likely to raise the issue of alleged attacks on its leaders in Bengal and rally the support of the INDIA bloc parties.
