Sources said that senior leaders of the opposition India Bloc are likely to meet in the national capital on June 8 to discuss their joint strategy to confront the BJP-led government and strengthen opposition unity.
The meeting, which is expected to bring together representatives of around 15 opposition parties, comes against the backdrop of the recent Assembly elections in which two of India’s main blocs, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the DMK, were ousted from power in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
Those who are likely to participate include TMC chief and former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, sources said.
With the Congress cutting ties with the DMK and siding with TVK, the DMK is unlikely to attend the meeting, they said, adding that efforts are being made to include TVK led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has publicly distanced itself from the bloc and is unlikely to attend the meeting scheduled to be held at the Constitution Club.
According to the sources, this gathering comes within the framework of efforts aimed at deepening coordination between the opposition parties, especially after the last electoral round for the House of Representatives and amid the development of political equations in several states.
Banerjee is likely to raise the issue of alleged attacks on TMC leaders in Bengal and enlist the support of the All India Bloc parties.
The last formal meeting of the Inclusive Indian Development Alliance (INDIA) was held in New Delhi on June 1, 2024, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
On 7 August 2025, Rahul Gandhi hosted an important strategic dinner for senior All India Bloc leaders at his residence in New Delhi, which brought together nearly 50 leaders from over 25 opposition parties, where the issue of alleged election manipulation, in particular the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of voters’ lists in Bihar, was raised.
Since then, the India Bloc leadership has formally met during pre-Parliament consultations, when the opposition parties discussed coordination and issues to be jointly raised against the central government.
These notices included a motion against Chief Election Commissioner Ganesh Kumar, demanding his removal.
The results of the recent House of Representatives elections have prompted renewed reflection among the opposition ranks.
The All India Alliance, formed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, includes several opposition parties that have sought to challenge the BJP-led NDA at the national level.
