Slow Progress in INDIA Alliance as Congress Focuses on State Polls,” Says Nitish Kumar

Speculation regarding the future of the INDIA bloc has intensified following Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s criticism of the Congress for its perceived lack of progress in preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Nitish Kumar pointed out that the Congress, a major member of the alliance assigned the “leading role,” has been preoccupied with state polls. States like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram are conducting elections, diverting the Congress’s attention.

Speaking at a Communist Party of India rally in Patna, Nitish Kumar humorously remarked, “We have been encouraging them to move forward in the INDIA alliance. But, lately, there hasn’t been much progress. The Congress appears more focused on the assembly polls.”

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He also mentioned that they had agreed to give the Congress the leading role, but it seems the Congress will only schedule the next meeting after the state elections.

The last INDIA group meeting took place on August 31-September 1 in Mumbai, with the announcement that the Congress would set the next meeting dates. However, there has been no news about the location or schedule of the next meeting.

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Nitish Kumar is considered one of the founding members of the INDIA bloc and played a crucial role in uniting opposition leaders against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. He met with Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in May and worked to establish connections with other opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee, who joined the INDIA alliance.

This development follows a dispute between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party over seat-sharing for the Madhya Pradesh election. Akhilesh Yadav claimed that an agreement for his party to contest six seats was ignored but later downplayed the conflict, stating that he remains part of the INDIA group. Additionally, both parties have engaged in banner campaigns promoting their respective leaders, Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, as future prime ministers, indicating underlying tensions between the two parties.