INDIA Parties Unite on Key Issues Ahead of Monsoon Session of Parliament

In a show of unity ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning Monday, 24 parties of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) held a virtual meeting on Friday, identifying a set of key issues to target the Modi government with in both Houses. The alliance is gearing up for an aggressive parliamentary push on matters ranging from national security lapses to alleged voter suppression in Bihar.

Top opposition figures including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Hemant Soren, Omar Abdullah, and Tejashwi Yadav were among those present in the hour-long virtual huddle. Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari briefed the media following the meeting.

Tiwari said there was “complete consensus” among the parties that national security had been compromised under the BJP-led government. The INDIA bloc expressed strong concern over the government’s failure to identify or arrest the perpetrators of the terror attack on an Army convoy in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, nearly three months ago.

“There is still no trace of the terrorists. This reflects serious lapses in the government’s handling of internal security,” said Tiwari.

Another point of contention raised by the alliance was former US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims—made 24 times so far, according to Tiwari—that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The INDIA leaders questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued silence on the matter, terming it “undignified” and “damaging to India’s sovereignty.”

On the domestic front, the alliance took aim at what it called the BJP’s “backdoor tactics” in Bihar through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the voter list. Tiwari alleged that voters were being selectively deleted based on political leanings, accusing the ruling party of orchestrating a “covert Emergency.”

“The INDIA parties condemned these targeted deletions of names as unconstitutional and a direct assault on democracy,” he added.

Foreign policy too came under fire during the discussions, with the bloc calling out the Centre’s handling of tensions with Pakistan, China, and the conflict in Gaza. The opposition stressed that Prime Minister Modi must be physically present in Parliament to answer direct questions on all such matters.

Apart from these issues, the parties also flagged concerns over delimitation, atrocities against SCs, STs, women, and minorities, signalling a wide range of topics they plan to raise during the session. While the alliance agreed on a common framework, they also acknowledged that regional concerns would be taken up by individual parties as needed.

Tiwari said that a physical meeting of INDIA bloc members will be held soon to finalize floor coordination and strategy. He described Friday’s discussion as “free, frank, and congenial,” suggesting continued cohesion within the opposition camp despite previous speculation of friction between key players.

The meeting saw participation from a wide political spectrum, including the Congress, DMK, TMC, Samajwadi Party, RJD, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (UBT), CPM, CPI, CPI(ML), JMM, IUML, KC(M), VCK, MDMK, RSP, KC(J), AIFB, KMDK, PDP, MMK, PWP, and RLP.

With Parliament set to convene in what could be a politically turbulent monsoon session, the INDIA bloc appears poised to mount a multi-pronged attack—questioning the government’s handling of security, democracy, and diplomacy at a time when the Modi administration is seeking to consolidate its third term.

Also Read: Shinde Mocks Uddhav for Colour-Shifting Politics in Maharashtra