In a rare display of camaraderie, leaders of the INDIA bloc convened for a dinner hosted by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The gathering, held at the Taj Palace in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, followed a day of intense political activity, including a protest march to the Election Commission (EC) over concerns regarding electoral roll revisions in Bihar and allegations of "poll fraud".

The dinner occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the opposition and the ruling BJP, with the INDIA bloc accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of colluding to manipulate the electoral process. These accusations stem from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which the opposition claims will lead to widespread disenfranchisement.

Earlier in the day, Members of Parliament (MPs) from the INDIA bloc marched from Parliament to the Election Commission to voice their concerns. This protest was a continuation of the Monsoon Session protests regarding the SIR issue. Some top opposition figures were briefly detained during the march while accusing the government and EC of orchestrating large-scale poll rigging.

The meeting at Kharge's dinner provided a platform for leaders to strategize and reinforce their commitment to opposing what they perceive as threats to democracy and electoral integrity. It also served as a follow-up to a similar gathering hosted by Rahul Gandhi, where leaders pledged to resist the electoral roll revision in Bihar and the alleged "vote chori model". Rahul Gandhi had earlier presented what he called evidence of "huge criminal fraud" in the electoral process.

The INDIA bloc's show of unity comes as the opposition seeks to present a cohesive front against the BJP-led government. The presence of leaders from 25 different parties at these meetings underscores the breadth of the alliance and its determination to challenge the ruling party's dominance. Notable attendees included Sonia Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Abhishek Banerjee, Uddhav Thackeray, Tiruchi Siva, T R Baalu, M A Baby, D Raja, Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Kamal Haasan. This was the first physical meeting of top leaders of the opposition bloc since they last met in June 2024, soon after the Lok Sabha elections at Kharge's residence.