The Congress party has declared its intention to launch a nationwide protest campaign focusing on inflation, the NEET paper leak, and the CBSE OSM controversy. According to party sources, the agitation is scheduled to begin from the end of June and will continue for a period of two to three months.
This announcement came after a meeting of the Congress' senior leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, and Bhupesh Baghel. State unit presidents and other in-charges also participated in the discussions, which lasted approximately three hours.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh confirmed that several issues were deliberated upon during the meeting. Addressing the press alongside Ramesh, Congress general secretary organisation K C Venugopal expressed "great worry" over recent events in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, describing the situation in Madhya Pradesh as "seat chori" (seat theft).
Venugopal specifically addressed the rejection of Congress candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination for the Rajya Sabha polls, stating that there is no criminal case against her. He contrasted this with the acceptance of a BJP-backed candidate's nomination in Jharkhand despite leaving two columns empty, calling it wrong but accepted. Venugopal described this as reflecting the "pathetic condition of Indian democracy" and confirmed that the party will fight the issue both politically and legally.
The Congress had earlier approached the Election Commission regarding Natarajan's nomination rejection, with a delegation including Venugopal, Ramesh, Abhishek Singhvi, Vivek Tankha, Randeep Surjewala, Bhupesh Baghel, and Deepa Dasmunshi demanding the decision be reversed. Natarajan herself described the rejection as "a subversion of democracy" while expressing continued faith in constitutional institutions.
In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge highlighted serious challenges facing the country, including inflation, unemployment, exam scandals, and social inequality. He noted that paper leaks in NEET and various recruitment exams, along with education system controversies, have shaken the trust of millions of youth and their families. Kharge also mentioned that Rahul Gandhi has personally met affected students and presented their voice before the nation.
Kharge asserted that institutions and systems built over decades are being deliberately weakened, and emphasized the party's responsibility toward safeguarding India's Constitution, democracy, and social justice. The meeting also occurred against the backdrop of a political crisis in the Trinamool Congress, with several MPs and MLAs revolting, and amid efforts by the opposition INDIA bloc to strengthen coordination.
