New Delhi

Senior leaders of the INDIA alliance convened at the Constitution Club in New Delhi on Monday for a key meeting aimed at strengthening opposition unity and charting a common strategy against the BJP ahead of upcoming political battles.

Among those attending were Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Mamata Banerjee arrived with Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, while Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal was also present. Leaders from Left parties, including John Brittas, Dipankar Bhattacharya and P. Sandosh Kumar, joined the discussions. Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray participated virtually.

The meeting comes at a politically significant juncture, with opposition parties seeking to maintain cohesion despite growing differences among alliance partners and recent electoral setbacks in some states.

Notably, the DMK stayed away from the gathering following the Congress party's decision to align with Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), effectively ending its long-standing association with the Tamil Nadu-based party. However, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol. Thirumavalavan attended the meeting, while Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N.K. Premachandran also joined the deliberations.

Addressing reporters before the meeting, K.C. Venugopal asserted that the ruling BJP was uneasy about the opposition's efforts to come together.

He also dismissed questions regarding posters critical of Rahul Gandhi that had reportedly appeared in parts of Delhi, saying he had not seen them.

The gathering is expected to focus not only on the challenge posed by the BJP's growing political dominance but also on concerns within the alliance itself.

Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja indicated that Left parties would raise issues related to remarks made by Congress leaders during the Kerala Assembly election campaign. According to him, allegations questioning the integrity of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) had created discomfort among alliance partners.

Raja stressed that mutual trust and respect were essential for sustaining a united opposition platform. He noted that the INDIA bloc was originally formed around the common objective of safeguarding democratic institutions and presenting a collective challenge to the BJP.

The CPI(M) has also reportedly communicated its concerns to the Congress regarding what it described as a sustained campaign against its leadership during the Kerala polls. Despite these differences, the party decided to participate in the meeting, with Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas representing it.

According to senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, representatives of 23 political parties are attending the meeting. He maintained that despite speculation about internal differences, the opposition alliance remains united and committed to working together on issues of national importance.

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The discussions are expected to focus on strengthening coordination among constituent parties, addressing areas of disagreement and evolving a common political roadmap in the run-up to future elections.