Is Congress' flawed strategy responsible for breakups in INDIA bloc as Lok Sabha polls near?

The opposition INDIA bloc is in the grip of a political crisis as a key alliance partner, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, ditched the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA (National Democratic Alliance) fold ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Apart from private meetings succeeded by press briefings, the , formed seven months ago in Patna, has not conducted any significant public outreach programmes. With time ticking away, there is a lack of clarity on when the bloc will finalise the allocation of seats among its member parties.

Nitish Kumar played a pivotal role in the INDIA bloc, a coalition of 28 opposition parties. His exit shortly before the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 is anticipated to have repercussions on the alliance. , while announcing his resignation and the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly on Sunday, cited that the situation arose because “not everything was alright."

JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi attributed the breakdown of the INDIA bloc in Bihar to the Congress, stating that Congress leaders prioritised strengthening their party over the opposition grouping, as conveyed to ANI. Tyagi had even accused a section of the Congress leadership of repeatedly "insulting" Nitish Kumar.

However, after Kumar's exit, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed, “The Congress was in favour of appointing Nitish as the convenor of the INDIA bloc."

Nitish Kumar's exit marks the second setback for the INDIA alliance, coming in the wake of recent developments in West Bengal, including the announcement by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal Chief Minister chose to break ties with the Congress and opt for an independent path in the upcoming Lok Sabha election in the state, just a day