Congress chief Kharge hosts second consecutive lunch for opposition lawmakers

Congress president Malliyarkjun Kharge continued his outreach to opposition legislators on Wednesday, hosting his second consecutive lunch for allied MPs at Connaught Place in New Delhi. The midday gathering was scheduled for 1:45 p.m., underscoring apparent coordination efforts among opposition parties.

The lunch comes a day after a similar event organized by Kharge, which preceded an opposition march to Jantar Mantar, a prominent protest site in the capital. Following that previous lunch, opposition leaders including Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi led a contingent of lawmakers to Jantar Mantar, where Delhi police detained them during the demonstration.

The pattern of back-to-back lunches suggests a planned strategy by the Congress leadership to mobilize and coordinate opposition responses. The details regarding the broader agenda or specific issues being discussed at these gatherings remain unclear, though opposition movements in recent weeks have often centered on economic and governance concerns.

The detention of opposition leaders at Jantar Mantar underscores heightened tensions between the ruling government and opposition parties in New Delhi. Such coordinated opposition activities have become increasingly common as parliamentary sessions proceed and political differences intensify across various policy matters.