Congress splits on Nitish Kumar's departure from INDIA alliance

The Congress Working Committee convened to address multiple matters of national importance, including discussions on the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Jnanesh Kumar, alongside broader strategic concerns facing the opposition.

During the meeting, party leaders turned their attention to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's recent departure from the INDIA opposition alliance and his decision to join the National Democratic Alliance. The development prompted differing assessments within the party's top decision-making body.

Former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh appeared more critical of Kumar's move, suggesting that continued alliance with the Congress would have produced different outcomes. In contrast, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi took a more measured stance, stating that Kumar's exit to the NDA was ultimately favorable from the opposition's perspective.

The divergence in views reflected the broader complexities within the opposition alliance as it reassesses its political positioning ahead of ongoing electoral cycles. Kumar's shift alters the political landscape in Bihar, one of India's most significant states, and reshapes equations within the larger INDIA bloc that had sought to present a united front against the BJP-led government.