Leaders of several opposition parties questioned the Congress leadership during a meeting of the INDIA bloc held in New Delhi on Monday, with regional parties expressing dissatisfaction over a perceived lack of coordination and the alleged neglect of key issues within the alliance.
The meeting, attended by top leaders of around 25 opposition parties, was viewed as significant for shaping the opposition's approach in the political landscape of 2026.
Representing Congress were senior leader Sonia Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi. Leaders from regional parties included Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
During the discussions, several opposition parties raised concerns about Congress’s role and leadership style within the alliance. Some leaders stated that key issues were not being raised effectively within the bloc, weakening its political strategy.
Regional parties said Congress, as the largest opposition party in the alliance, should play a more coordinating role and give equal importance to the views of smaller parties.
According to sources, participants also said that if the alliance is to be strengthened, all constituent parties must work together on a common strategy rather than pursue separate agendas.
Representatives of Left parties also expressed dissatisfaction during the meeting. They said questioning their political character and integrity was inappropriate. Objections were raised particularly over allegations made during the Kerala elections in which Left parties were portrayed as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “B team.”
Left leaders also questioned what concrete steps the alliance had taken so far on major national issues. According to them, opposition unity could not be strengthened through statements alone and required strategic action at the grassroots level.
Responding to the criticism, Rahul Gandhi said several political positions had been adopted based on the views of the party’s local units. He said Congress had taken decisions in different states in line with recommendations from its organisational structure.
He also said dialogue within the alliance should continue to remove misunderstandings and strengthen a common strategy.
Some regional parties stated that Congress, being the largest party in the alliance, should assume responsibility not only for leadership but also for coordination. Leaders said regional parties should be treated not merely as allies but as equal participants in the decision-making process.
Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD supported this view, saying opposition unity could be strengthened only if all parties received equal respect and representation.
The meeting also included discussions on previous alliance meetings and subsequent political developments that some participants said had created discomfort within the bloc. Certain parties questioned whether there was a clear strategy for moving forward collectively after important meetings.
Participants also said a lack of coordination had been visible in recent protests and public movements, weakening the opposition’s message.
Mamata Banerjee said opposition parties still had sufficient time and opportunity, which should be utilised effectively. She suggested that, if the INDIA bloc wished, she could contribute through her role and resources to help strengthen the alliance.
She also said the BJP was pursuing a strategy aimed at politically dividing opposition parties, making unity among alliance partners even more important.
A proposal was put forward to establish coordination committees at both the state and national levels for the better functioning of the alliance. Participants said such committees could simplify decision-making and improve communication among constituent parties.
Several leaders acknowledged that the alliance currently lacked an effective mechanism for internal communication and that improvements were necessary.
The issue of Congress comparing Left parties with the BJP in Kerala emerged as a particular point of contention during the meeting. Left parties described the comparison as inappropriate and politically damaging.
Rahul Gandhi reiterated that the decision had been taken based on local leadership assessments and prevailing circumstances, and said its purpose was not to target any alliance partner.
