Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on 8 June 2025 issued a forceful call for unity at an INDIA Bloc meeting in New Delhi, accepting criticism of the Indian National Congress (Congress) from alliance partners and urging a collective strategy of resistance to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The meeting, held at the Constitution Club, came in the wake of recent Assembly election defeats suffered by two key bloc constituents — All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

Gandhi's Core Message to Alliance Partners

'The Congress Party's role, as many of you have stated, is to unite all of you together with love and affection,' Gandhi told the gathering, according to accounts of the closed-door meeting. He acknowledged internal criticism directed at the Congress and framed the party's purpose as one of consolidation rather than dominance within the bloc.

Addressing what he described as a mood of despondency among allies, Gandhi sought to reframe repeated electoral setbacks as temporary rather than structural. 'I find that in our discussions, there is often a tinge of depression. People think: Oh my God, how will we ever beat the BJP? Let me tell you, it is easy to beat them if we stand together and resist,' he reportedly said.

Allegations Against BJP and Institutional Capture

Gandhi levelled sweeping allegations against the BJP, claiming the ruling party had captured key pillars of the Indian state. 'The BJP controls the institutions of the state. The BJP controls the legal system. The BJP controls the bureaucracy. The BJP controls the intelligence agencies. The BJP even controls the Election Commission,' he said.

He also made pointed insinuations regarding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, asserting, 'Please understand: We won the last election in 2024. We did not lose the 2024 election.' Gandhi attributed the Opposition's difficulties to what he called 'the capture of the instruments of the Indian state by the RSS,' adding that the conditions for a free and fair election, in his view, did not currently exist.

Resistance as Political Strategy

The Rae Bareli MP outlined 'resistance' as the bloc's operational philosophy, citing specific campaigns as examples. 'We have to go into the mode of resistance. Resistance is CBSE. Resistance is NEET. Resistance is going to Great Nicobar. Resistance is the Bharat Jodo Yatra. You get up in the morning, and you say: How can I resist? And you resist. That will work. I guarantee you it will work,' he said.

Gandhi also referenced the broader geopolitical context, suggesting that developments in Iran and the Gulf region would create political openings for the Opposition. 'What is coming now, after what has happened in Iran, is uncontrollable. It is uncontrollable, and it is going to create a space for us to mobilise the masses,' he said.

Five-Point Plan and Internal Recalibration

Beyond Gandhi's address, the meeting focused on recalibrating the INDIA Bloc's strategy following a string of political setbacks, addressing internal grievances among constituent parties, and finalising a reported five-point plan to mount a more coordinated challenge to the BJP. The gathering signalled an attempt to reset the alliance's internal dynamics ahead of future state and national elections.

Gandhi closed on a note of confidence: 'Now everybody in this room must start believing that we will defeat them. You start with that belief, and I guarantee you — state after state, election after election, whether they cheat or don't cheat, they will fall.' Whether the alliance's fractious constituents can translate that conviction into electoral cohesion remains the central question going forward.