All eyes on INDIA bloc meet tomorrow, 23 parties to attend amid differences: What will TMC, Congress, CPM discuss?

The INDIA bloc is all set to hold a key meeting at the Constitution Club, New Delhi, at 12 pm on Monday (June 8). All eyes will be on the Congress and Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress — the INDIA bloc allies, which did not contest the West Bengal Election 2026 in alliance.

The INDIA bloc meet comes ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections and byelections in some states.

Ahead of the meeting, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “23 political parties have confirmed participation in the INDIA janbandhan meeting at Constitution Club, New Delhi on Monday June 8, 2026, at 12 noon.”

He said there are some parties who expressed their inability to attend this particular meeting for their own reasons - "even though they have conveyed their strong opposition to the Modi Govt’s policies and actions that are snatching away the right to vote for millions of Indians, assaulting the Constitution daily, attacking Opposition leaders through investigative agencies, seriously damaging the livelihoods of crores of Indians, breaking household budgets through relentless price rise, betraying the hopes and aspirations of lakhs of youth, dampening investment climate, and compromising the national interest by its foreign policy."

TMC leader Derek O'Brien reacted to Ramesh's post, saying, "Meeting with a common purpose and clear intent. INDIA united. Many parties look forward to meeting in the spirit of camaraderie."

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) clarified earlier that it won't participate in the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8, citing the Congress' “betrayal” post Tamil Nadu Election 2026.

While the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) said it will participate in the INDIA bloc meeting, CPM state secretary Srinivas Rao said, “The Congress is not acting as a serious opposition. The INDIA bloc will be united only if Congress proves its charges against CPI.”

What's on the agenda?

Reports claimed that the leaders will meet to redraw their strategy to take on the BJP and iron out differences amid changed power dynamics after the defeat of regional anchors TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.

The alliance is set to deliberate on the future course of action and will aim to put a united face to take on the Modi government on national issues in the run-up to the next election cycle in states and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, PTI reported.

The TMC is likely to raise the issue of alleged attacks on its leaders in Bengal and rally the support of the INDIA bloc parties.

Sources told NDTV that Mamata Banerjee does not want to contest any assembly election in the current climate, even though by-elections are due for two seats in Bengal - Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's Nandigram seat, and Humayun Jahangir's Rejinagar seat.

There are also speculation that Banerjee is not interested in the assembly because she wants to contest the Lok Sabha polls. A by-election is due for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, a Muslim-majority constituency. Mamata Banerjee needs the Congress's help to win the Basirhat seat, NDTV reported.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M is set to raise with the Congress the charge that the Left had a political understanding with the BJP in Kerala polls. The Left parties lost against the Congress-led UDF in the only state they were in power.

The CPI(M) which will be represented by its Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas at the meeting, is likely to flag the issue and seek clarifications from the Congress leadership, sources told PTI.

The party's general secretary MA Baby wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, saying such accusations were inconsistent with the spirit of cooperation that underpins the opposition alliance.

Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam said, “We'll discuss some crucial issues on our alliance and how to go ahead. I think that's the major agenda we have...these are temporary setbacks that we had in Assam and so on. But I think we will come back..."

Meanwhile, CPI General Secretary D Raja said that after a long time, a formal meeting of the INDIA bloc is taking place. "...the agenda is not very clear. Every party has certain issues to raise."

"The Left parties also have issues that we want to raise, and other parties may have their own concerns. We will see what issues are brought up during the meeting. The DMK is not attending the meeting, and the Left parties have openly said that there are issues to be discussed," Raja said on Sunday.

Mamata Banerjee meets Arvind Kejriwal

Meanwhile, former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee met AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday. The AAP had officially exited the INDIA bloc after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"Our Hon'ble Chairperson Smt @MamataOfficial along with our Hon'ble National General Secretary Shri @abhishekaitc met with Shri @ArvindKejriwal Ji today, in Delhi," the TMC posted on X on Sunday.

"Following a warm interaction, they held an extensive discussion on the road ahead. When the people of India unite, no force on earth can stop their march towards justice, dignity and a better future in 2029," the TMC added.