Nitish Kumar's INDIA exit buzz grows, Rahul Gandhi takes stock in Delhi

The unity of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) appeared in jeopardy on Thursday amid growing speculation that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may exit the 28-party Opposition bloc.

This came a day after the Trinamool Congres (TMC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ruled out any seat adjustment with the Congress in West Bengal and Punjab, respectively, in a big setback to the alliance.

Speculation was rife in Patna and Delhi that Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) (JDU) could exit the alliance. JDU sources said Bihar Chief Minister Kumar was livid with the "high handedness" of the top Congress leadership and its nonchalance in recognising his contribution in shaping the INDIA bloc.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a break from his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ for the Republic Day, which entered West Bengal on Thursday morning, returning to Delhi, where he took stock of the situation. The Congress leadership contacted some of the allies, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the TMC. Sources said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge spoke to Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.

The Trinamool softened its attack on the top Congress leadership, holding West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury responsible for the differences between the two parties in the state. "The three reasons" for the seat adjustment between the two parties not working out in Bengal "are Adhir, Adhir and Adhir," TMC leader Derek O'Brien said, adding "he (Chowdhury) is the gravedigger of his own party".

O'Brien said the Trinamool had "turned the page" on the possibility of an alliance with the Congress. “After the general elections, if the Congress does its job and defeats the BJP on a substantial number of seats, the Trinamool Congress will very much be a part of the front that believes and fights for the Constitution," he said. Earlier in the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called Banerjee one of the "important pillars of the INDIA alliance". "No one can imagine the grouping without Mamata Banerjee and the TMC," he said, adding that the party would find a solution to the seat-sharing impasse.

As for the JDU, the RJD leadership advised the Congress to "wait and watch” Kumar's next move instead of rushing to mollify him.

Kumar exited the NDA in 2013, forming the 'grand alliance' with the RJD, Congress and others to sweep the 2015 Bihar Assembly polls. He returned to the NDA in 2017, contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2020 Bihar Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP. He exited the NDA in 2022 again to join hands with the RJD and others.