Union Minister Chirag Paswan on Monday, 8 June alleged deep fissures within the opposition INDIA bloc following the alliance's meeting in New Delhi, questioning the coherence of a grouping that includes parties he claimed are at odds with each other. His remarks came as 23 opposition parties convened in the national capital to reinforce coordination and chart a future political strategy.

Paswan Flags DMK Discontent and Mamata's Presence

Paswan said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)'s dissatisfaction with the bloc was understandable, accusing the Indian National Congress (Congress) of abandoning loyal allies in its pursuit of power. He expressed surprise at All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee's participation, given that Congress leaders had allegedly directed abusive remarks at her during the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly election campaign.

'There are visible cracks within the so-called INDIA bloc. The dissatisfaction of DMK is natural, as Congress, in its pursuit of power, has betrayed its old and loyal allies,' Paswan said. 'It is surprising to see Mamata Banerjee attending the INDIA bloc meeting with such enthusiasm. She is the same Mamata Banerjee who, during the Bengal elections, was allegedly subjected to abusive remarks by Rahul Gandhi, and whose party was accused of promoting violence and corruption.'

BJP and JDU Pile On

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain described the bloc as structurally hollow. 'The INDIA bloc does not function as a formal, structured organisation. It has no officially designated leader, chairman, office, or unified leadership framework. It consists of several political parties and leaders who occasionally come together on issues related to opposition politics and criticism of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,' he said.

Janata Dal (United) national spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad went further, demanding the alliance formally announce its dissolution. 'What kind of alliance is it when its constituent parties contest elections against each other?' he asked.

UP Minister and Bengal Leader Add to the Chorus

Uttar Pradesh Minister O.P. Rajbhar dismissed the gathering parties as spent forces, using a colourful Hindi phrase — Dage hue Kartus (spent cartridges) — to describe the TMC, the Samajwadi Party, and the Congress. 'When spent cartridges are collected, can they still fire? It can never happen; all the parties in this alliance lost everything, they have nothing,' he said.

Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh questioned Mamata Banerjee's motivations, suggesting she attended 'out of compulsion' given that her own party's leaders were reportedly not fully behind her. 'There is nothing left in the INDIA bloc, so what is the benefit of it?' he said.

The Meeting and What It Signals

The INDIA bloc meeting, attended by 23 parties, is the alliance's latest attempt to project unity ahead of future electoral contests. Notably, it comes at a moment of visible internal strain — the West Bengal polls exposed a rift between Congress and TMC, while the DMK's public distance from Congress has been a recurring theme. This is the latest in a series of NDA counter-offensives designed to frame opposition gatherings as exercises in managed optics rather than genuine coalition-building.

Whether the bloc can translate Monday's meeting into a credible unified platform will be closely watched as the political calendar fills up.