INDIA Opposition Alliance Must Embrace Federalism as Core Principle, Says MP

At a June 2026 INDIA bloc meeting, Omar Abdullah suggested Congress should formally serve as the alliance's unifying force given its presence across all Indian states, while other parties operate regionally. The article acknowledges that all alliance constituents recognize Congress's pivotal role, though some partners have criticized it for ineffective electoral coordination and campaigning that contradicts allies' principles. However, the author argues that the true current basis of unity is shared fear of the BJP's authoritarian governance and threats to constitutional democracy, secularism, and federalism. While this fear-based coalition successfully brought diverse parties together, the article contends it cannot sustain long-term coherence. Instead, Ravikumar proposes that explicit commitment to federalism and state rights—particularly among national parties like Congress—must become the alliance's organizing principle. He warns that if Congress continues to marginalize federalism while emphasizing secularism alone, regional parties may view it as merely an alternative to the BJP rather than a fundamentally different political force.