Rahul Gandhi Seeks to Mend Fences with Allies After Unilateral Protest

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) sought to reassure allies of the INDIA bloc about better coordination, following a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence that left several allies upset over lack of prior information.

Speaking to reporters after an INDIA bloc meeting, Gandhi acknowledged the need for opposition parties to step up pressure on the government both inside and outside Parliament. He emphasized that the decision to protest at the Prime Minister's residence was taken suddenly, leaving no time to inform allies, according to sources familiar with the meeting.

The protest on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) saw Congress MPs marching to the rear entrance of the Prime Minister's residence, with Gandhi leading the way. Several allies, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, joined later and were detained along with Gandhi. However, some parties, such as the Left, declined the invitation, reportedly because they had earlier suggested a similar march during a Monday meeting and felt sidelined.

During the Wednesday meeting, which was thinly attended, Gandhi reiterated that the government had made Parliament irrelevant by not allowing opposition MPs to speak. He called for adapting strategies to go directly to the people. Sources said no ally openly expressed displeasure at the meeting, though some privately conveyed their concerns to the Congress.

The Congress had initially invited opposition leaders to party president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence for a cake-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, but later rescinded the invitation. The protest plan was known only to four or five top Congress leaders. All Congress MPs were asked to gather at Kharge's residence, where Gandhi announced the march and set off immediately.

At around 5 p.m., the Congress reached out to other opposition leaders. Akhilesh Yadav responded quickly, reaching the protest site and getting detained. Other leaders, including Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghosh, could not reach due to heavy traffic. Left MPs declined, citing the earlier suggestion. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule joined the protest, while her father, Sharad Pawar, visited student protesters at Jantar Mantar. On Wednesday, Sule denied speculation of supporting the government. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray also visited the students.

Gandhi's remarks come a day after the Congress dharna at the Prime Minister's doorstep, which several allies felt was a unilateral move. The opposition is now considering further strategies, with a meeting of opposition leaders scheduled for Thursday morning.