INDIA bloc closes ranks around Congress, but not without caveats

Amid a chorus from the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Left parties critiquing the Congress and urging it to be more accommodating towards its partners, Monday’s (June 8, 2026) INDIA bloc meeting also marked a moment of grudging acceptance of the Congress as the central force unifying the alliance against the BJP.

Following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Trinamool Congress, which has often challenged the Congress’s leadership within the Opposition coalition, for the first time spoke of a possible alliance between the two parties for the 2029 general elections. In the last Lok Sabha election, despite multiple attempts by the Congress, the two parties failed to strike an alliance, with the Trinamool Congress unwilling to concede more than two seats to it.

At Monday’s meeting, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee warmly embraced Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The two were seen speaking at length before the meeting began. During her intervention, Ms. Banerjee spoke of allowing the Congress to “lead” as it is the only party with a national presence.

The meeting itself had been convened at Ms. Banerjee’s insistence, as she appeared to seek support in the wake of her party’s recent setbacks. Senior Trinamool leaders said that in the course of coordinating the meeting, the Congress did not display a “touch of arrogance”, a position markedly different from the Trinamool Congress’ earlier criticism of the party.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the Congress as the ‘glue’ that holds the INDIA bloc together. PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti also hailed Mr. Gandhi as the only leader to consistently fight the RSS. 

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, while emphasising that dominant regional players should have the first claim on seats in their respective States, also acknowledged the Congress’s national reach. 

Barring a brief exchange between Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and CPI(M) leader John Brittas, the meeting was largely free of tense moments. Mr. Gandhi, for his part, struck a conciliatory note, welcoming the criticism.

Assuming a more defined leadership role, he underlined that as the largest party in the bloc, the Congress would work to unite all Opposition parties with “love and affection”. His remarks were widely seen as receptive. “You should trust us. We are committed to fighting against the BJP and the RSS. And no compromises will be made,” Mr. Gandhi said in his concluding remarks.