New Delhi: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation; how an online movement like the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) gained traction; questions for the Congress on its move to end its alliance with the DMK and on anti-CPI(M) statements its national leaders made during the campaign trail in Kerala; a focus on ground movements to build on discontent – these were the issues that dominated discussions in the opposition INDIA bloc’s meeting in New Delhi on Monday (June 8).The meeting held a month after the assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala and amid the ongoing turmoil within the Trinamool Congress (TMC), saw leaders of 25 opposition parties attending to forge unity and chalk the path ahead.Following the meeting, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters that the parties agreed to a five-point consensus on sending a letter to the Chief Justice of India on the special intensive revision (SIR) and the fairness of elections, demanding Pradhan’s resignation following the NEET-UG and CBSE examination fiascos and an all-party meeting on the current economic situation, and also resolved to meet every two months while continuing parliamentary coordination during the upcoming monsoon session.The Wire has learnt from opposition leaders present at the meeting that all issues, criticisms, grievances and suggestions were discussed. The current education crisis was discussed in the aftermath of the NEET-UG and CBSE examination fiascos along with the protest held by the CJP in Delhi on Saturday demanding Pradhan’s resignation.Sources said that Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Uddhav Thackeray was of the opinion that the attendance at the CJP’s protest showed that the people don’t have trust in the opposition and that should be introspected upon. However, the general consensus among the leaders was that any dissent against the BJP is welcome.The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))’s John Brittas is learnt to have said that the CJP is a manifestation of anger and discontent and that India now is facing a “peculiar” situation in which there is a disconnect between “ground reality and electoral reality”. While the BJP is winning seats in elections, on the ground there is anger and disillusionment, he said.Opposition leaders agreed to build consensus with civil society and move to unite the INDIA bloc, including through ground movements in the coming days.While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) did not attend the meeting, The Wire has learnt that opposition leaders expressed oblique criticism against the Congress for deserting the DMK following the Tamil Nadu assembly elections and choosing to align with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam instead.Leaders including the Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar)’s Supriya Sule and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Tejashwi Yadav were among those who said that the Congress had not dealt with the DMK properly.There was consensus among the leaders that all parties would make efforts to bring back both the DMK and the Aam Aadmi Party back into the bloc.The Congress also faced criticism from the Left parties against statements its national leaders Rahul Gandhi and Kharge made during the election campaign in Kerala, particularly against former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.Brittas argued in the meeting that the party would not have any issues if the Congress’s Kerala unit leaders had attacked them as that’s the way politics in the state.Objections were raised as Kharge and Gandhi are the parliamentary leaders of opposition – they had alleged that the CPI(M) has a tacit understanding with the BJP and it was conveyed in the meeting that the Left does not need any certificate from any party on their conviction on fighting against the saffron party.The CPI’s D. Raja is also learnt to have raised his objections against Gandhi’s statement that the “Left is no longer Left”.Sources said that Akhilesh Yadav also said that the Congress should be “large-hearted” while dealing with allies, while the RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav also raised the party’s performance in the assembly elections.Gandhi is learnt to have responded to the criticism levelled by the allies by saying that the Congress will work hard to unite the INDIA bloc. Sources said he also clarified the context in which statements were made during the elections in Kerala. Gandhi is also learnt to have spoken about building “resistance” against the BJP.The meeting came on a day when the TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from the house as well as the party, and at least ten MPs, The Wire has learnt, met with Union minister Bhupender Yadav at his residence in New Delhi.The move comes as a section of newly elected MLAs in West Bengal led by Ritabrata Banerjee have claimed the TMC’s legislative identity.Accordingly the INDIA bloc leaders also discussed how parties are being destroyed by the BJP as well as how leaders are being intimidated and lured with new prospects.During the meeting, opposition leaders also decided that while a letter will be sent to the CJI on the SIR, it was necessary to focus on the impact of the electoral roll revision. Opposition leaders including the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation’s Dipankar Bhattacharya flagged not just voter deletion but the loss of other rights that are taking place as a consequence of the SIR, including welfare benefits.In addition, there was also some discussion about developing a structure to the alliance, including naming a convenor and a panel of spokespersons.While the next meeting of the alliance is due to take place in August in Hyderabad, a date has not yet been fixed.This was the first major meeting of the INDIA bloc since 2023 although a dinner was held at Gandhi’s residence last August.Apart from Gandhi and Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and party general secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh were also present from the Congress’s side at Monday’s meeting.The TMC’s Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee, Kalyan Banerjee and Derek O’Brien; the RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and Sanjay Yadav; and Sule from the NCP (SP) were also present, while the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Thackeray attended online.In addition, apart from the CPI(M)’s Brittas, the CPI’s Raja, the Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav and the CPI(ML)’s Bhattacharya, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader and J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah was also present. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief and Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren attended the meeting online.Vaiko of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Thirumavalavan of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, N.K. Premchandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, Francis George of the Kerala Congress, G. Devarajan of the All India Forward Bloc, Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Rajkumar Roat of the Bharat Adivasi Party, Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party of India, Sunil Singh of the Lok Dal and independent MP Kapil Sibal were also present.