'Vote chori' unites Opposition, revives I.N.D.I.A bloc in Monsoon Session

Congress even consulted Shashi Tharoor to avoid discord during the Operation Sindoor debate, with the the MP declining to speak, even though a quiet move but it helped the opposition unite.

New Delhi: The just-concluded Monsoon Session turned out to be a month that reinforced Opposition unity in taking on the Modi government, as parties found a common cause in ‘vote chori’ to raise their pitch levels inside and outside Parliament and the I.N.D.I.A bloc making adjustments to bring non-aligned AAP on board.

They arrived at a consensus candidate for the Vice Presidential elections without difficulty, while around 300 MPs marched together to the Election Commission before being detained midway — a show of strength that was unthinkable during the Budget Session in February-March 2025, when allies had drifted apart over differing priorities.

As in 2023 when Rahul Gandhi's disqualification and the Waqf (Amendment) Bill united the Opposition at the end of that year’s Budget Session, this time the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar and elsewhere provided common ground. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul's press conference on 'vote theft' in the middle of the Session added momentum.

This time, the Opposition avoided getting sidetracked by emerging issues like the US tariffs, focusing on 'vote theft'. While a discussion on 'Operation Sindoor' was held, they ensured their stand was firmly registered and that the government was pushed to respond on their terms.

Ahead of the debate, Congress pre-empted any discord by checking with its MP Shashi Tharoor on whether he wished to speak on Operation Sindoor. Tharoor declined, avoiding the risk of crossing the party line under the Whip.

Once the debate concluded, the Opposition resumed protests on the SIR, culminating in the march to the EC on August 11, which continued in different forms until the Session ended on Thursday.

The month also revived interest in the I.N.D.I.A bloc, after a 13-month lull following the Lok Sabha results. Alliance partners first met online, followed by a dinner meeting hosted by Rahul Gandhi for top leaders. Soon after, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hosted another dinner for Opposition MPs after the EC march.

Although AAP had left the bloc, efforts were made to ensure Arvind Kejriwal’s party stayed aligned on major issues. The bloc projected its EC march, Vice Presidential candidate and two joint press conferences as initiatives of the “Opposition” rather than the “I.N.D.I.A bloc.”

Despite minor differences, Congress and Trinamool leaders highlighted a renewed sense of cooperation, with Trinamool indicating that Congress was “gracious enough” to accommodate differing views.

For the Vice Presidential elections, Trinamool Congress' support helped Congress settle on Justice B Sudershan Reddy, considered close to the party, without resistance. DMK chief MK Stalin also stepped back from pushing his prefernce, former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai, after a call from Kharge.

The Session also marked Rahul Gandhi’s more prominent role in the Opposition camp, with his press conference making it harder for senior leaders to sideline him. A counter press conference by the Election Commission only reinforced their backing, while the government’s Bills on removing top political executives at the Centre and states further strengthened Opposition cohesion.