Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Rahul Gandhi's conviction: India's opposition shows signs of unity against BJP

In the upcoming weeks, opposition parties plan to protest together inside and outside of parliament, court arrest, and develop strategies to counter the BJP across the country

Rahul Gandhi's conviction: India's opposition shows signs of unity against BJP

India's fragmented opposition is setting aside differences to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time in years, potentially posing a significant threat to his dominance in the 2024 national elections - if they can maintain their unity.

In response to Rahul Gandhi's conviction, 14 political parties have come together to petition the Supreme Court, alleging that federal investigative agencies are selectively targeting opposition groups. The court has scheduled a hearing for the plea on April 5th.


"We are realizing that this atmosphere is very, very dangerous and we have to come out of this evil atmosphere," KC Venugopal, Congress MP and a close aide of Gandhi, told Reuters.

"It is too early to announce any coalition...but we are trying to get together and now we are very comfortable with each other."

The challenge of maintaining unity remains uncertain.

According to opposition politicians, the disqualification of Gandhi and the potential for his imprisonment is further proof of the Modi government's strong-arming tactics.

This follows a pattern of investigations and legal issues faced by other opposition parties in recent months.

Despite winning two successive general elections, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not hold a majority vote, leaving them vulnerable to a united opposition.

Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and leader of the Trinamool Congress party - the fourth largest party in parliament - urged for a united opposition to challenge the right-wing BJP led by Modi in the 2024 elections. This statement is a shift from her earlier stance of her party contesting alone.

Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy stated that the Modi government's fascist actions have provided an opportunity for opposition parties to unite, Reuters informed.

In the upcoming weeks, opposition parties plan to protest together inside and outside of parliament, court arrest, and develop strategies to counter the BJP across the country.

In the 2019 election, the 14 main opposition parties secured 39% of the national vote and won 160 seats in the 542-member parliament, while the BJP alone received 38% of the votes but won 303 seats in the first-past-the-post system.

However, there are indications that forming a lasting unity will be challenging. A senior leader from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi and Punjab anonymously stated that Congress cannot be the primary opposition leader and will have to yield space to other groups in an alliance.

The Samajwadi Party, the primary opposition party in Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, has expressed similar sentiments. In 2019, the party's alliance with Congress was unsuccessful.

Also, other opposition leaders stated that their unity would rely heavily on Congress's willingness to adjust to regional political parties and take a subordinate role in states where it no longer has a significant following.

The only triumph of a united opposition was in the 1977 general election, when a coalition of parties from across the political spectrum defeated the ruling Congress. Nevertheless, the alliance of major parties such as Trinamool, Samajwadi, AAP, and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana is a political transformation, as these parties have traditionally opposed Congress on various topics.

Despite a divided opposition, Modi remains immensely popular with high approval ratings after nine years in power and is expected to easily secure a third term. Nalin Kohli, the BJP's national spokesperson, argues that opposition parties cannot be united solely on an anti-Modi or anti-BJP platform due to their diverse aspirations, ambitions, and positions.

While there have been attempts to form a united front in parliament, it has never lasted beyond a brief period or a few weeks, he added.

(With inputs from Reuters)

More For You

Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mandelson-Getty

Starmer dismissed Mandelson on Thursday after reading emails published by Bloomberg in which Mandelson defended Jeffrey Epstein following his 2008 conviction. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Minister says Mandelson should never have been appointed

A CABINET minister has said Peter Mandelson should not have been made UK ambassador to the US, as criticism mounted over prime minister Keir Starmer’s judgment in appointing him.

Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, told the BBC that Mandelson’s appointment was seen as “high-risk, high-reward” but that newly revealed emails changed the situation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shivani Raja MP leads fight to save Leicester Diwali celebrations

Shivani Raja MP

Shivani Raja MP leads fight to save Leicester Diwali celebrations

TWO Conservative MPs have launched a petition to stop Leicester City Council cutting back this year's Diwali celebrations.

Shivani Raja, MP for Leicester East, and Neil O'Brien, who represents nearby Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, started the Change.org petition on Wednesday (10) after the council announced plans to remove key elements from the October 20 event.

Keep ReadingShow less
Indian American hotel employee beheaded in Dallas

Chandra Nagamallaiah (R) was stabbed and beheaded on duty; Yordanis Cobos-Martinez was arrested and charged for the killing.

Indian American hotel employee beheaded in Dallas

A STAFF MEMBER at Downtown Suites Dallas, US, was killed on Wednesday (10) morning. Chandra Nagamallaiah, 50, was stabbed and beheaded on duty in front of his wife and son, according to reports.

Yordanis Cobos-Martinez, 37, was arrested and charged in the killing, which reportedly stemmed from an argument over a broken washing machine, media reports said, citing the Dallas Police Department.

Keep ReadingShow less
Deadly Pakistan floods force over two million to flee their homes

Residents sit in a rescue boat as they evacuate following monsoon rains and rising water levels in the Chenab River, in Basti Khan Bela, on the outskirts of Jalalpur Pirwala, Punjab province, Pakistan, September 10, 2025. REUTERS/Quratulain Asim

Deadly Pakistan floods force over two million to flee their homes

OVER two million people have been forced to leave their homes as devastating floods continue to sweep across Pakistan's eastern regions, authorities announced.

The worst-hit area is Punjab province, where more than two million residents have been evacuated. An additional 150,000 people have fled Sindh province, according to national disaster management chief Inam Haider Malik, who warned that the "number may rise over the coming days".

Keep ReadingShow less