Sonia Gandhi-Mamata Banerjee Moment at INDIA Bloc Meet Goes Viral
At the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi, Sonia Gandhi was seen patting Mamata Banerjee on the back after her address, highlighting a warm gesture amid opposition alliance discussions.
The INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday saw a notable moment between Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. After Banerjee's address during the media interaction, Sonia Gandhi was seen patting her on the back, a gesture that stood out amid the Opposition alliance's discussions on electoral issues and the Election Commission.
The interaction came after a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at the Constitution Club of India, where opposition parties discussed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, concerns surrounding the Election Commission and their future course of action. “Entire Opposition Standing Together Against EC”: Rajeev Shukla After INDIA Bloc Announces 'Save Democracy' March.
Sonia Gandhi-Mamata Banerjee Moment at INDIA Bloc Meet
A video from the meeting showed Sonia Gandhi reacting to Mamata Banerjee after the TMC chief's remarks. Sonia Gandhi was seen tapping the table and later patting Banerjee on the back. The brief interaction came during a meeting attended by several senior INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Omar Abdullah, Tejashwi Yadav and Supriya Sule. The moment was notable as the meeting focused on a coordinated opposition response to the Election Commission and the ongoing SIR-related controversy.
Sonia Gandhi’s Gesture for Mamata Stands Out at INDIA Bloc Meet
VIDEO | INDIA bloc meeting: TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee gets a pat on the back from Congress' matriarch Sonia Gandhi after her fiery address during media interaction. pic.twitter.com/nIcsSKbffD
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 30, 2026
INDIA Bloc Announces Joint Action Plan
The meeting, which lasted around three-and-a-half hours, resulted in a joint action plan on electoral issues. According to Kharge, opposition parties agreed to organise "Save Democracy" marches between October 2 and October 8. Opposition MPs are also scheduled to march to the Election Commission on October 6. Opposition leaders plan to seek an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu in the second week of October to submit a representation on their concerns. The INDIA bloc also announced plans for five major rallies, with their dates and venues to be finalised.
Mamata Banerjee Raises Concerns Over Election Commission
During the interaction, Banerjee strongly criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for his resignation. She also raised questions about the electoral-roll revision process and the Election Commission's software used for processing electoral data. The allegations are part of the wider opposition campaign over electoral rolls, SIR and what opposition parties describe as concerns about electoral integrity. These are political allegations made by the Opposition and remain contested by the authorities. What Are INDIA Bloc’s 6 Demands Over EVMs, SIR and Voter Rolls?.
Opposition Parties Push for Ballot Papers
Another major outcome of the meeting was the INDIA bloc's stated position in favour of replacing EVMs with paper ballots. Kharge said participating opposition parties had agreed that elections should be conducted using ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines. The demand forms part of the alliance's broader campaign around electoral reforms and its concerns regarding the current election process. The Sonia Gandhi-Mamata Banerjee interaction therefore came against the backdrop of a broader effort by INDIA bloc parties to present a coordinated position on the Election Commission, SIR and electoral procedures.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 30, 2026 08:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
