INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, paid tribute to students who died by suicide over the NEET paper leak, amid ongoing protests and a standoff with the government over fresh talks and demands for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.
The successful 'UP ke ladke' alliance of Congress and Samajwadi Party, which secured 43 seats for the INDIA bloc in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, now faces internal friction over seat-sharing for the 2027 state assembly elections, with both parties urging the other to show a "big heart."
Mamata Banerjee appealed to INDIA bloc partners, including Congress and CPI(M), to unite against the BJP in West Bengal. She firmly rejected "traitors" within her TMC party, challenging rebels to join the BJP directly and asserting expelled members would not be welcomed back. Banerjee also announced upcoming district tours.
Cross-voting impacted Rajya Sabha elections in Jharkhand and Legislative Council polls in Karnataka. While NDA gained in Jharkhand, Congress outmaneuvered BJP in Karnataka. Both parties exhibit double standards regarding cross-voting.
The Congress nominee for a Rajya Sabha seat in Jharkhand, Pranav Jha, lost the election to NDA-backed Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani, despite the Congress having the required number of MLAs. Allegations of betrayal and cross-voting have surfaced among INDIA bloc allies.
An NDA-backed independent candidate, Parimal Nathwani, secured a Rajya Sabha seat from Jharkhand, defeating Congress's nominee and exposing cracks within the INDIA bloc. In Mizoram, the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) comfortably won the state's lone Upper House seat.
The Congress candidate for a Rajya Sabha seat in Jharkhand lost the election despite having the support of the required 28 MLAs. NDA-backed Independent Parimal Nathwani secured 28 votes, while Congress nominee Pranav Jha received only 20. The defeat has triggered a blame game among INDIA bloc allies, with Congress accusing RJD and CPI-ML of betrayal, charges they deny.
CPI(ML) Liberation and RJD denied cross-voting in Jharkhand Rajya Sabha elections, stating their MLAs voted for Congress. They blamed Congress's internal issues for the loss and warned against damaging the INDIA bloc by shifting blame.
Congress nominee Pranav Jha lost a crucial Rajya Sabha election in Jharkhand despite having the support of 28 MLAs. NDA-backed Independent candidate Parimal Nathwani secured 30 votes, while Jha received only 20. The defeat has triggered a blame game among INDIA bloc allies, with Congress accusing RJD and CPI-ML of betrayal, charges they deny.
Jharkhand's Rajya Sabha elections are set for a close contest as the INDIA bloc, with 56 MLAs, faces a challenge from the BJP-backed independent candidate Parimal Nathwani, who needs just 4 cross-votes to potentially upset the ruling coalition's expected win of two seats. Both camps are employing 'hotel politics' and mock polls to ensure MLA unity and prevent cross-voting, reminiscent of recent upsets in Bihar and Odisha.
Messaging app Telegram has filed a lawsuit in New Delhi, challenging an Indian government order that temporarily blocked its platform to prevent exam fraud. Telegram argues the ban is unconstitutional and a disproportionate restriction on free speech for its 150 million Indian users.
India has temporarily blocked the Telegram messaging app and ordered the disabling of its message editing feature, citing its use in defrauding candidates and leaking exam papers for national student examinations. The move comes after a key medical entrance exam was cancelled due to leaks, leading to protests.
India has blocked Telegram until June 22, targeting cheating rackets using the platform to defraud students ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. The government also ordered Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30, preventing the creation of fake paper leak evidence.
CPI(M) leader MA Baby criticized Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's comments at the INDIA bloc meeting, stating Gandhi should not facilitate ED/Modi govt actions by demanding opposition arrests, rather than hugging political rivals like Pinarayi Vijayan.
Rahul Gandhi asserted that the INDIA bloc has effectively "already won" the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and stressed the need for opposition unity to counter the BJP. He stated that the opposition would continue to organize people and challenge the BJP's "takeover of institutions."
Rahul Gandhi asserted that the INDIA bloc did not lose the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and has already secured victory in the 2029 polls. He emphasized unity and resistance against the BJP, dismissing claims of disunity among opposition parties.
The INDIA bloc, an opposition alliance, met to "reset" its anti-BJP strategy with a five-point truce plan. However, the article argues that the alliance failed to address the fundamental fault line of political rivalry between allies at the state level, which has historically led to its collapse. Key examples include Congress vs. Samajwadi Party in Madhya Pradesh, Congress vs. AAP in Delhi and Haryana, Congress vs. TMC in West Bengal, and Congress vs. Left in Kerala. The article questions whether the Congress, despite having an upper hand, will be willing to compromise on seats to maintain unity.
Sachin Pilot downplayed Ashok Gehlot's recent criticism, emphasizing party unity and affection. Pilot highlighted national issues like exam paper leaks and rising prices, vowing to strengthen Congress and challenge the BJP. He also criticized the Rajasthan government and alleged institutional pressure regarding Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination.
Posters criticizing Rahul Gandhi surfaced in New Delhi before the INDIA bloc meeting, highlighting past criticisms by allies like Sharad Pawar and Mamata Banerjee, amid visible strains in the opposition alliance.
The INDIA bloc opposition alliance is set to meet in New Delhi to review recent electoral losses and strategize for future challenges, amid internal tensions and party absences.
The DMK is reportedly skipping an INDIA bloc meeting on June 8 in New Delhi. This follows the Congress ending its alliance with the DMK in Tamil Nadu after the Assembly elections, aligning instead with C Joseph Vijay's TVK party.
The DMK announced it will not attend the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8 in Delhi due to the Congress's alliance with TVK. The DMK, a significant ally, expressed its stance on X, stating it will still voice concerns on national welfare issues raised by other bloc members.
TMC faces a significant crisis in West Bengal, sparking speculation about its MPs' future and its influence within the INDIA bloc. The party's heft as a major opposition voice against the BJP-led NDA government is questioned following internal splits.
Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee is pushing for an INDIA bloc meeting around June 8 to foster opposition unity against the BJP and seek support amid post-poll attacks in West Bengal. While Congress, SP, and RJD are being urged to attend, participation from DMK, AAP, and Left parties remains uncertain.
