New Delhi, July 22: The Congress-led protests over the NEET paper leak issue in the national Capital have once again highlighted the widening gap between the Opposition’s show of unity at the national level and its political rivalries across states. While leaders from several INDIA Bloc parties shared a common platform in Delhi, competing regional interests continued to shape their political strategies beyond the protests.
The demonstrations, which intensified on Tuesday, followed large-scale protests over alleged systemic failures in the education system and examination paper leaks. The protests, initially organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), escalated into a political confrontation after police action on Monday, which included baton charges and the use of tear gas against demonstrators.
Thousands of protesters and political workers regrouped at Jantar Mantar and nearby areas before the Congress leadership led a march towards Lok Kalyan Marg. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi participated in the protest, demanding accountability and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and leaders from other INDIA Bloc parties joined the sit-in protest, presenting a united Opposition front against the Centre. The demonstration ended with Delhi Police removing and detaining several Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.
Despite the coordinated protest in Delhi, political equations among Opposition parties remain shaped by state-level electoral interests. In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress and the Samajwadi Party continue to work together as they prepare for the Assembly elections, with both parties seeking to strengthen their position against the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In contrast, the political situation remains markedly different in Punjab, where the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress continue to remain direct political rivals. AAP leaders criticised the Congress over the protests, arguing that the demonstrations reflected political positioning rather than a united Opposition campaign.
The Trinamool Congress also joined the Opposition protest in Parliament on the education issue after holding a separate demonstration in Kolkata on Tuesday to commemorate those killed in police firing on July 21, 1993. The party’s participation marked a shift from its earlier distance from coordinated Opposition activities in Parliament following electoral contests against INDIA Bloc partners.
The developments underscore the continuing challenge before the INDIA Bloc as national campaigns increasingly intersect with regional political priorities. While Opposition parties have projected collective action in Parliament and on the streets over the education issue, electoral calculations in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Punjab continue to influence the durability of that cooperation.
