After thorough deliberations, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has been selected as the chairperson of the opposition bloc INDIA, according to sources quoted in several media reports. An official announcement from the INDIA bloc is still pending. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, initially considered for the position, suggested during today’s meeting that a Congress member should take charge.
When the idea of appointing Nitish Kumar as the convenor of the alliance was raised, the newly elected Janata Dal (United) chief expressed disinterest. Despite this, no objections were raised, and Kharge mentioned discussing the matter with Trinamool Congress’s Mamata Banerjee and Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav.
As per sources, the convenor holds a distinct position in the alliance, just below that of the chairperson.
INDIA, or the ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,’ comprises various opposition parties, including the Congress, uniting to challenge the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and prevent its third consecutive term in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The meeting, attended by representatives from all parties except Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, emphasized the importance of national unity, urging against state-level conflicts disturbing the alliance.
However, selecting a chairperson is just one aspect of the challenges faced by the INDIA bloc. They still need to address the issue of seat-sharing among all parties.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party is unlikely to be forgiving, given the state Congress’s refusal to share seats in the assembly elections. State party chief Kamal Nath’s refusal to honor the central leadership’s commitment for six seats in the state led to public repercussions, including Akhilesh Yadav’s criticism of Congress and Kamal Nath’s removal from the top post.
Congress’s discussions with AAP are also contentious, with the party seeking 4 seats in Delhi and seven seats in Punjab, while AAP is unwilling to comply. In both Delhi and Punjab, the ruling party desires a larger share of seats, and AAP expresses interest in contesting in Goa, Haryana, and Gujarat, as per the sources.