oppn parties For the Goonj to Reverberate, Rahul Gandhi Must Take Regional Parties Along

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  • Smoke and noise pollution engulfs Indian cities on Diwali despite green crackers and police directives
  • Opposition challenges Modi over ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the expression during Diwali celebrations at a CRPF camp in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, Rahul Gandhi challenged him to an open debate on who was anti-national and who was controlled by foreign forces. Other Opposition leaders also criticised the Prime Minister's remarks
  • BJP prepares a three-pronged strategy for Uttar Pradesh elections. The party is planning separate organisational efforts for the 2027 Assembly polls, including a central team led by Vinod Tawde and a grassroots outreach exercise targeting panchayat representatives. The reported ambition is to win more than 300 seats
  • Supreme Court reiterates automatic suspension rule for public servants in custody. The Court said a government employee who remains in judicial custody for more than 48 hours is deemed to be under suspension without the need for a separate order
  • Government allocates 4,000 square metres for Central Secretariat Library. The Union government has set aside space at Netaji Nagar in Delhi for the library, which must move from Shastri Bhawan before the building's demolition under the Central Vista project. The Supreme Court, which had taken suo motu cognisance of concerns over the library's relocation, is scheduled to hear the matter on November 16
  • 15. Delhi's post-Diwali pollution remains a serious concern. Delhi's air quality deteriorated sharply after firecrackers were burst despite restrictions, with the city recording an AQI of 370 on Monday morning and several localities crossing 400. The episode has renewed questions about enforcement of pollution-control measures during the festival.
  • 15. Delhi's post-Diwali pollution remains a serious concern. Delhi's air quality deteriorated sharply after firecrackers were burst despite restrictions, with the city recording an AQI of 370 on Monday morning and several localities crossing 400. The episode has renewed questions about enforcement of pollution-control measures during the festival.
  • Markets closed today for Diwali holiday. The NSE and BSE are shut on Tuesday, November 10. In the previous trading session on Monday, the Sensex gained 107.25 points, or 0.13%, to close at 81,106.65, while the Nifty 50 rose 58.25 points, or 0.23%, to 25,044.65
  • India-New Zealand third ODI delayed by wet outfield. The match scheduled for Tuesday in Hamilton had not begun by the morning update, with the toss delayed because of a wet outfield. India entered the match with a 2-0 lead in the five-match series
  • Suryakumar Yadav named Mumbai captain for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The India T20 captain has been appointed to lead Mumbai in the domestic T20 competition, adding an international star to the state's campaign
  • Smriti Mandhana to lead India across all formats in South Africa
  • Supreme Court questions the continuing relevance of two-child norms. The Court observed that falling fertility rates have weakened the population-control rationale behind laws disqualifying people with more than two children from contesting local body elections. It referred the issue to a larger Bench for consideration
  • Supreme Court declines to shift Tirupati laddu case outside Andhra Pradesh. The Court rejected a plea seeking transfer of the trial, despite arguments that political statements by Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister could affect the fairness of proceedings
  • Supreme Court transfers Azam Khan's fresh ED bail plea to Allahabad High Court. The apex court declined to consider the Samajwadi Party leader's bail request in a fresh Enforcement Directorate case and directed that it be listed before a division Bench of the High Court on November 16
  • Two killed in Delhi building collapse; contractor booked. Two bodies were recovered after a building collapsed in Chawri Bazaar. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the contractor had been booked and the concerned junior and assistant engineers suspended
After talks between PM Modi and Ukranian President Zelensky, India offered to help build a food corridor in Black Sea
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For the Goonj to Reverberate, Rahul Gandhi Must Take Regional Parties Along

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2026-09-29 14:22:55

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator. Author of Cyber Scams in India, Digital Arrest, The Money Trap and The Human Hack

Rahul Gandhi is trying hard. By taking up the SIR issue in earnest and also starting the 'Chattron in Goonj' campaign to side with GenZ, he is putting Congress at the forefront of the fight against the BJP. But it seems that it is Congress against the BJP, and not the INDIA bloc, as disunity among the constituents of the bloc is visible once again. The bloc never seemed united but, in the past, the leaders showed unity for the sake of the fight against the BJP. That has also vanished now.

For the meeting to be held on September 30 to take the SIR issue forward and corner the Election Commission after the damning disclosures in the Indian Express report, the DMK has already expressed its inability to attend. It is also reported that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav will stay away, although the party is not boycotting the meeting and other leaders of the party are likely to attend.

Being a national party with all-India infrastructure, the Congress should be the natural leader of the bloc. But its past actions have made regional parties distrust its motives and show their displeasure. It junked old, long-term allies like the DMK for the short-term gain of two ministerial berths by supporting the TVK in Tamil Nadu, and it asked for seats disproportionate to its standing in UP in its alliance with the SP.  

The Congress will have to take all parties with it if it seriously wants to take on the BJP. For, the numbers are, for now, with the ruling party and a fragmented opposition will not be able to do much except raise a hue and cry. Another thing is that supporting street fighters like CJP was good on the issue of Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, but moving forward, the Congress will not benefit much from that. This is clear from the CJP's call to the opposition to boycott 'tainted' elections, something no opposition party, especially the Congress, will agree to as they feel it will make them irrelevant.

So, much as the Congress would like to assume leadership and project Rahul Gandhi as the only leader who can take on Narendra Modi, the numbers are not in its favour. It will need the support of most regional parties, and for that it will have to follow a consistent policy. Otherwise, like the DMK, other parties will stop supporting it and, by extension, the INDIA bloc as well.

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For the Goonj to Reverberate, Rahul Gandhi Must Take Regional Parties Along

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