Delhi Confidential: India bloc or Opposition meet? Post-poll strains cloud Monday huddle

3 min readUpdated: Jul 18, 2026 05:28 PM IST

According to sources, some Opposition party leaders insist it should not be called INDIA bloc meeting but just an “Opposition meeting”. (File Photo)

Ever since the 18th Lok Sabha was formed, the Congress has been calling a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders ahead of every Parliament session to discuss the Opposition’s stance and strategies. However, the recent developments following the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have put a question mark on the relationship among the parties. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has convened a meeting in his chamber at 10 am on Monday (July 20). According to sources, some Opposition party leaders insist it should not be called INDIA bloc meeting but just an “Opposition meeting”. One Opposition leader pointed out that last time the invitation had come as “a meeting of leaders of Opposition parties”. This time, Congress leaders admitted that they had no idea who would turn up for the meeting on Monday morning.

Back in Action

Ahead of the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Monday, the Lok Sabha Secretariat changed the agency responsible for issuing passes to former MPs, officials, visitors and media personnel. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been replaced by the Parliament Security Service PSS) starting Friday. This comes two years after the CISF took over security and pass-issuing responsibility from the PSS following a security breach inside the Lower House. It is learnt that the decision to go back to PSS for passes was taken on Thursday. This comes after several former MPs complained that the CISF personnel did not recognise them and took longer to issue passes, sources said. The security of the Parliament premises will stay with the CISF, it is learnt.

Not on Guest List

The Bihar Congress is abuzz with speculation that state unit president Rajesh Ram may be replaced soon. An informal dinner meeting called by AICC in-charge for the state Krishna Allavaru further fuelled this speculation as Ram was not invited to the get-together, which was held at the Patna residence of party leader Amit Kumar “Tunna” on Wednesday. Amit Kumar is being considered as one of the contenders for Ram’s position in the state unit. While there was no discussion at the dinner about a possible change of guard, Allavaru did get some negative feedback on the state unit’s digital membership drive — ‘Sangathan Srijan Sathi’ — said sources.