During the CWC meeting held in Delhi on Tuesday, senior leader Digvijaya Singh lamented that the INDIA alliance should have kept JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar in the coalition, citing his January 28 exit as a missed opportunity.
Sonia Gandhi shot back, saying Kumar had been seeking a way out and that his departure was inevitable. "He did not wish to remain in the INDIA alliance. It was for the best that he left when he did," she told the room, emphasizing that the former Bihar Chief Minister had been actively looking for a path out.
Mallikarjun Kharge echoed her stance, adding that Kumar had been eyeing a leadership role but was sidelined. "His bid to become the convener of the INDIA bloc was merely a charade," Kharge said, noting that Kumar had previously expressed a desire to stay active in state politics while supporting the coalition nationally.
The resignation came after months of delays in finalising seat‑sharing agreements and the failure to name Kumar the coalition’s convenor. He cited frustration with Congress and other partners, saying he was hurt and that the alliance had not lived up to his expectations.
Kumar’s exit has dealt a strategic blow to the opposition, tightening the rift within the INDIA bloc and weakening its bargaining power ahead of the May 2024 elections. The party now plans a review of its alliance strategies and will convene a special session in the coming weeks to decide its next steps.