Parliament's Monsoon Session 2026 has kicked off, but much of the real drama is unfolding outside the House, at Jantar Mantar, where students have been protesting over the NEET paper leak and other examination leaks. The protesters are demanding reforms to the exam system along with the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. With the agitation intensifying just a short distance from Parliament, all eyes are now on the opposition, as students wait to see how forcefully major opposition parties and leaders push their demands inside the House.
Closed-door meeting between Rahul and Akhilesh
Amid this backdrop, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a closed-door meeting with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who is the Member of Parliament from Kannauj. The meeting took place in the Leader of Opposition's chamber, where the two leaders held detailed discussions on several issues. The huddle has fuelled speculation that the opposition could make a significant move once the Monsoon Session proceedings pick up pace, with both leaders appearing to coordinate a common floor strategy.
Plotting to corner the government
The meeting centred on identifying which issues to press the government on inside Parliament. The NEET paper leak controversy and the alleged theft at the Ram Mandir featured prominently in the discussion. Beyond these two flashpoints, the two leaders are also said to have deliberated on a broader set of issues on which the government could be put on the back foot.
Why is Rahul Gandhi focused on the Samajwadi Party?
The opposition has been combative from the very first day of the Monsoon Session, with repeated disruptions forcing multiple adjournments of House proceedings. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are well aware that the Samajwadi Party currently holds a strong position and has been consistently opposing the government's policies. That is precisely why Rahul Gandhi chose to sit down with Akhilesh Yadav, a meeting that political circles are reading as significant.
An attempt to keep the INDIA bloc united
The sit-down is being viewed as an effort to build a shared strategy so that the government can be cornered on every front, whether it is the Ram Mandir donation theft row or the NEET exam leak issue. The opposition knows there are several such issues where the government can be held accountable. The effort now is to ensure that the constituents of the INDIA alliance stay united, at least on these points, so that the issues can be raised forcefully against the government on the floor of Parliament.
