INDIA Bloc Gathers Online Today—Minus AAP; Who's In, Who's Out?

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will hold a virtual meeting on July 19 to strategize for the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament.

As the Monsoon Session of Parliament kicks off Monday, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is set to regroup online on Saturday, July 19, at 7 pm. The virtual meeting aims to align strategy and raise issues that the Opposition plans to take up in Parliament.

This marks the first collective discussion by the alliance in months and comes amid growing questions over its unity and relevance.

AAP Walks Out, Calls Alliance Ineffective

Adding to the uncertainty, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced its decision to exit the INDIA bloc on Friday. In a strongly worded statement, the party said the alliance had “failed to stay united and take steps to further its agenda.” The announcement comes as a blow to the grouping, especially with key parliamentary battles ahead.

AAP’s move is being viewed as a sign of deeper cracks within the alliance, though no other party has formally distanced itself so far.

TMC Back in the Fold, Abhishek Banerjee to Attend

In contrast to AAP's exit, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) confirmed its presence at the meeting. After initial reports suggested TMC might skip the discussions, party sources confirmed that national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will attend the virtual session.

This participation is significant, especially considering past tensions within the alliance over leadership roles and regional priorities.

Congress Says Bloc Remains United

Congress, which continues to play a key coordinating role in the alliance, struck a confident tone. General Secretary K C Venugopal announced the meeting on X, while party’s communication head Jairam Ramesh asserted that all prominent leaders of the bloc will be present.

“People have other programmes this weekend, so we decided to meet online. We’ll meet in Delhi as well after this,” Ramesh told reporters.

He also aimed fire at the ruling BJP, questioning the delay in naming a successor to party president JP Nadda and hinting at underlying tensions between the BJP and the RSS.

What’s on the Agenda?

Sources say the INDIA bloc is expected to focus on three major issues during the virtual meet:

• The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar
• The demand for a discussion on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam
• Operation Sindoor and its implications

These topics are likely to dominate the Opposition's pitch in Parliament, as the bloc seeks to present a united front on matters of national concern.