Opposition leaders on Monday emphasised the need to safeguard democratic values and address issues related to people's livelihood as a key meeting of the INDIA bloc began against the backdrop of differences.

The meeting aims to focus especially on reworking their strategy to take on the BJP, while ironing out differences within after the defeat of regional outfits like the TMC and DMK in the recent assembly polls.

Leaders who arrived at the meeting at the Constitution Club in Delhi included Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge from the Congress, Mamata Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress, Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD, Omar Abdullah of the National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti of PDP, besides Left leaders.

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, CPI's D Raja and leaders of some smaller parties were also part of the deliberations. Uddhav Thackeray attended the meeting virtually.

CPM general secretary M.A. Baby skipped the meeting, opting instead to send Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas as the party's representative.

The DMK and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were not part of the deliberations as they have opted out of the bloc.

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, party MP Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and others during the INDIA bloc meeting, in New Delhi on June 8, 2026. (PTI)

The AAP has already distanced itself from the bloc, while the DMK earlier announced its decision to boycott the gathering after the Congress snapped ties with it in Tamil Nadu and joined the TVK-led government.

Asked about the agenda of the meeting, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said decisions would be taken collectively by alliance partners.

"We will decide the agenda in the meeting," Yadav told reporters, adding that efforts would be made to move towards a "bandhu rashtra". It was important to safeguard democratic values, he said.

Kharge, while attending the meeting, charged that the assault on the Constitution has continued and probe agencies were persistently being used as tools to harass, intimidate, and bully political opponents.

He also highlighted that the economic environment is extremely negative and new investments are not coming in at the pace required to generate new jobs.

The Congress president also pointed out the "complete mismanagement" of the examination system due to which the hopes and aspirations of lakhs of youth are being betrayed.

Batting for unity among opposition leaders, he said, "On April 17, 2026, we demonstrated our unity and solidarity in the Lok Sabha in a very decisive manner, when we all came together firmly to defeat the Modi government's malicious bills on delimitation.

"Now we must strengthen that same spirit even further and move forward, so that we can confront the many political, economic, social, and foreign policy challenges facing the country due to the Modi government's misgovernance," Kharge said at the start of the meeting.

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav during the INDIA bloc meeting, in New Delhi on June 8, 2026. (PTI)

Speaking to reporters in Baramati, Sharad Pawar said, “In the recent elections, the INDIA bloc partners contested together in some places and separately in others. After the elections, the DMK, one of the constituents of the alliance, has been indicating that it may walk out.

Since such a situation is emerging, we will, in the next eight to 15 days, invite the key leaders (of the grouping) and try to find a solution. I am sure a solution will be found,” he said.

Pawar said Monday’s meeting in Delhi was a review meeting. “An appeal will be made that no one should take any extreme step,” he added.

BJP alleged that the opposition alliance is "a figment of imagination" and lacks conviction on the ground.

In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said there is a complete implosion in the INDIA bloc, with disagreements involving the Congress and the DMK, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Left parties.

He added that the AAP has also questioned the Congress' intentions behind forging alliances with regional parties.

"After DMK versus Congress, after JMM versus Congress and after the complete implosion of the INDI alliance, with the Left attacking the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party has now also targeted the Congress. It has advised smaller regional parties that the only reason the Congress is coming together with them is to strengthen itself, not the nation, and therefore it will not join the INDI alliance," he said.

"There is no INDI alliance. It is just a figment of one's imagination. Cosmetic meetings take place, but real conviction on the ground is never seen," he posted.

Claiming that the opposition alliance lacks a common purpose, Poonawalla said it has "no mission, no vision, only division".