Leaders of 23 opposition parties met at Delhi’s Constitution Club on Monday for a key INDIA bloc meeting aimed at strengthening coordination and preparing a strategy against the BJP ahead of future elections.   Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge used the meeting to attack the Centre, saying, “India’s foreign policy has been compromised.” He also raised concerns over unemployment, examination irregularities and what opposition leaders described as threats to democratic institutions.   Senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav attended the meeting. However, the DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party skipped the gathering.   Opposition leaders stressed the need to “safeguard democratic values” and maintain unity, while BJP leaders dismissed the meeting, calling the alliance ineffective and lacking purpose. (PC: HT)

Leaders of 23 opposition parties gathered in New Delhi on Monday for a key INDIA bloc meeting aimed at strengthening unity and formulating a strategy against the BJP ahead of future elections. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee attended the meeting at the Constitution Club. The discussions come amid internal challenges within the alliance following recent electoral setbacks for the Trinamool Congress and DMK. While TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is expected to push for a united front against the BJP for the 2029 Lok Sabha polls, the DMK and AAP stayed away from the meeting. (PC: HT)

Trinamool Congress leader Jahangir ‘Pushpa’ Khan was arrested by the West Bengal Special Task Force near the Nepal border while allegedly trying to flee India after weeks in hiding. Khan faces multiple FIRs, including allegations of EVM tampering and voter intimidation during the West Bengal Assembly elections in Falta. The Election Commission had cancelled polling in the constituency, citing severe electoral offences and ordered a repoll. Khan's arrest came after the Calcutta High Court withdrew his interim protection from arrest. BJP candidate Debangshu Panda later won the Falta seat by a margin exceeding one lakh votes. (PC: India Today)

3 separate egg-pelting incidents were reported across West Bengal on Sunday as angry residents protested against TMC leaders facing corruption and criminal allegations. In Midnapore, people threw eggs at a police vehicle carrying TMC leader Sujoy Hazra, accusing him of taking money for housing projects without delivering homes. In Kolkata, councillors Bappaditya Dasgupta and Md Jasimuddin also faced protests and egg attacks while being escorted by police. Dasgupta was arrested in an extortion case, while Jasimuddin was arrested in a POCSO case. Large crowds gathered, demanding action and raising slogans against the accused leaders.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi praised 18-year-old Sarthak Sidhant and his associate Nisarga Adhikary for highlighting alleged irregularities in the CBSE's on-screen marking (OSM) system. Sharing a video of his meeting with Sarthak, Gandhi said the teenagers achieved what even major investigative agencies could not. He claimed that "Modi ji wants youth to keep making reels and frying pakodas" instead of questioning the system. The controversy relates to allegations of answer-sheet mismatches in the digital evaluation process. Gandhi has demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the matter.  

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the INDIA bloc remains united ahead of its crucial meeting in New Delhi, despite the DMK deciding to skip the gathering. Ramesh said 23 political parties will attend the meeting and continue to oppose the Narendra Modi-led government on issues such as alleged attacks on democratic institutions, rising prices, unemployment and foreign policy. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is expected to join the discussions, while the CPI(M) will also participate. The meeting is likely to focus on strengthening opposition unity and deciding the alliance's future political strategy. (PC: HT)

Fresh political tensions surfaced in West Bengal after the vehicle of Madan Mitra was allegedly targeted with eggs by protesters in the Ariadaha area of Kamarhati on Saturday night. The incident comes amid a series of demonstrations directed at leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress following the party’s recent electoral setback. Local residents reportedly expressed anger over various civic and political issues, leading to the protest. No injuries were reported in the attack, but the episode has intensified concerns about growing public unrest and the increasingly hostile political atmosphere in the state. (PC: HT)

Hours after the Cockroach Janta Party’s first major protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, BJP national president Nitin Nabin criticized attempts to influence young people through what he described as “negative politics.” Speaking in Ranchi, Nabin said India’s youth are focused on nation-building and securing their future, adding that they would not become “puppets” of individuals seeking to direct them from abroad. His remarks came amid growing attention around the youth-led movement, which organized demonstrations over examination-related issues and governance concerns. The exchange highlights the intensifying political debate over youth participation, activism, and the direction of public discourse in India. (PC: India Today)

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has defended Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan against opposition demands for his resignation over the NEET-UG paper leak and CBSE evaluation glitches. Rijiju described the resignation demand as “political,” stating that Pradhan is “not running away” from the issues and has taken several steps to address and rectify the problems. He emphasized that the CBSE functions as an autonomous body and that the government is actively working to strengthen examination systems and restore public confidence. The remarks come amid growing protests and criticism over recent examination-related controversies affecting students nationwide. (PC: The Indian EXPRESS)

  BJP national president Nitin Nabin on Saturday criticised the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest, saying India's youth would not become "puppets" in the hands of people trying to influence them from abroad.   His remarks came hours after a large gathering at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where students and young professionals demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities.   The CJP later issued a seven-day deadline for Pradhan to step down, warning that the movement would expand across the country if no action was taken. The BJP maintained that young people should pursue positive and democratic politics while contributing to nation-building.