Members of the Opposition and particularly the INDIA bloc partners led by Congress on Sunday said the attack in Poonch is part of a worrying trend of terror attacks in the area and asserted that after Lok Sabha election results the party and its INDIA bloc partners will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the counter-terrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir.

While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the Congress strongly and unequivocally condemns this "dastardly terror attack" and joins the nation in standing together against terrorism, former party chief Rahul Gandhi said the cowardly terrorist attack on the security personnel convoy in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir is "very shameful and sad".

"I pay my humble tribute to the martyred soldier and express my condolences to his bereaved family. I hope for the speedy recovery of the soldiers injured in the attack," he said on X on Saturday.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said the menace of terror is still alive in the Union Territory. Abdullah, a former chief minister, said the BJP government's claim that Article 370 was responsible for terrorism now stands exposed, reiterating his stand that only dialogue between India and Pakistan can end the threat in the region.

"That area has been disturbed for many months. Incidents have taken place in Rajouri, Surankote and other adjacent areas," he said and paid his tributes to the dead and prayed for early recovery of the injured.

Congress chief spokesman Jairam Ramesh claimed that while there were "no major incidents of terrorism in this area between 2007 and 2014", the Surankote terrorist attack is part of a worrying trend of terror attacks, particularly against security personnel, in the hilly Rajouri-Poonch areas situated near the Line of Control.

After June 4, the Congress and its INDIA bloc partners will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the counter-terrorism grid by fully supporting our brave soldiers, Ramesh asserted.

AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj also condemned the attack, calling it “despicable, shameful and cowardly act of the terrorists”. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured soldiers.

Part of the INDIA bloc, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut hit out at the prime minister over the attack in Jammu and Kashmir. "Yesterday, in broad daylight, our soldiers were attacked and killed. He will not talk about this in Ayodhya. (He will) just seek votes in the name of Lord Ram," Raut said.

 RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav condemned the militant attack and said he and his party join the nation in standing together against terrorism.