'Show A Large Heart': Congress Faces Tough Questions From TMC, RJD, SP At INDIA Bloc Meeting

Published 9 June 2026 · local

'Show A Large Heart': Congress Faces Tough Questions From TMC, RJD, SP At INDIA Bloc Meeting Published By, Last Updated: June 09, 2026, 07:42 IST

'Show A Large Heart': Congress Faces Tough Questions From TMC, RJD, SP At INDIA Bloc Meeting Published By, Last Updated: June 09, 2026, 07:42 IST In the INDIA Bloc meeting, Akhilesh Yadav told the Congress leadership that it should show a “large heart” and be more accommodating towards alliance partners. Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and others during a press conference after the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday. (PTI photo) The INDIA bloc held a key meeting in New Delhi on Monday June 8, which was attended by 23 opposition parties. The meeting was aimed at reviewing strategy, coordinating for the 2029 Lok Sabha election, and presenting a joint opposition line on national issues. The Congress came under criticism from several allies during the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on Monday, with leaders urging the party to be more accommodating and improve coordination within the alliance. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav were among those who spoke candidly about the challenges facing the opposition grouping. Leaders from the CPI(M) and the NCP (SP) also questioned the Congress over its decision to end its long-standing alliance with the DMK in Tamil Nadu. The meeting was attended by senior opposition leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and others. Akhilesh urges Congress to be more accommodating Akhilesh told the Congress leadership that it should show a “large heart" and be more accommodating towards alliance partners. He noted that the INDIA bloc meeting was taking place after a long gap and said the alliance should reflect on whether it had acted as effectively as it should have during this period. Akhilesh also remarked that regional parties openly acknowledged their alliance with the Congress, but the Congress itself did not do the same.

He criticised the party for breaking its alliance with the DMK, a point later supported by NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule and CPI(M) leader John Brittas. The DMK, one of the founding members of the INDIA bloc, stayed away from the meeting after making it clear that it would not share space with the Congress. Akhilesh further suggested that Congress leaders at the state level may not fully understand the seriousness of the political situation. Tejashwi echoed the concern and is learnt to have said that the Congress’s Bihar leadership was “compromised". The SP chief also said that if JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar had remained within the alliance, the political situation could have been different. Concerns over coordination and central agencies Referring to Enforcement Directorate raids on former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Akhilesh argued that alliance partners should support one another whenever central agencies target any member party. Tejashwi backed Akhilesh’s remarks and said he had sought the Congress’s support during the last Rajya Sabha elections but received no response. He also highlighted poor coordination among alliance partners, saying they had ended up contesting against one another in 10 to 15 seats in Bihar. Mamata calls for unity Mamata Banerjee spoke about what she described as political atrocities before, during and after the West Bengal Assembly elections. She appealed for unity among opposition parties and suggested that the Congress should take the lead in coordinating alliance activities. Banerjee also urged parties not to criticise one another and called for greater engagement with civil society movements. Claiming that the Bengal election had been “stolen", she proposed that an INDIA bloc delegation meet the Election Commission. The proposal did not gain much support and the alliance instead decided to write to the Chief Justice of India regarding alleged electoral irregularities. Akhilesh defended Mamata, saying those who believed she had lost politically were mistaken.