The INDIA Opposition Bloc held its largest joint rally in two years in Lucknow on Sunday, with leaders from 16 parties appearing on the same stage for the first time since the fractious general election campaign of 2024.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, and NCP-SP’s Sharad Pawar addressed a crowd that organisers estimated at 400,000 people.
The Message
The rally’s central theme was economic inequality and unemployment, with Akhilesh Yadav presenting data showing UP’s youth unemployment rate at 28%. Mamata Banerjee called for a renewed social contract, while Kharge announced a nationwide 100-day campaign ahead of the Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal state elections scheduled for late 2026.