Patna, Nov 11 (IANS) A political controversy has erupted in Bihar following remarks by Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, about former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his exit from the INDIA Bloc, with the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) accusing the Congress of overlooking his contribution to Opposition unity.
JD(U) National Working President and Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Kumar Jha, criticised the Congress, saying it was unfair to ignore the role played by Nitish Kumar in bringing Opposition parties together.
Jha said Nitish Kumar had taken the initiative to unite Opposition leaders, personally reached out to political parties across the country and built trust among them.
He also played a key role in organising the first meeting of the INDIA Bloc in Patna.
Jha argued that portraying Nitish Kumar’s departure from an alliance meeting as being driven by trivial reasons diminished his contribution to the formation of the Opposition coalition.
He said the circumstances that eventually led Nitish Kumar to leave the INDIA Bloc should also be discussed rather than focussing only on his decision.
The controversy has intensified following the release of Sonia Gandhi’s 544-page memoir, ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’, on November 10.
Published in India by HarperCollins, the book traces her personal journey and her experiences in Indian politics.
The account also revisits the formation of the INDIA Bloc and the challenges faced by Opposition parties in maintaining unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Nitish Kumar initially played an active role in bringing Opposition parties together but left the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar in January 2024 and returned to the BJP-led NDA, dealing a setback to the Opposition alliance ahead of the general elections.
The debate has also brought back into focus remarks reportedly made by Sonia Gandhi during a Congress Working Committee meeting on September 29-30 this year.
According to media reports, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had expressed the view that the party should not have allowed Nitish Kumar to leave the INDIA Bloc, arguing that the political situation could have been different had he remained part of the coalition.
Sonia Gandhi reportedly responded that it was fortunate Nitish Kumar had left when he did, adding that he had been looking for an opportunity to exit the alliance.
She also alleged that he was under the influence of the BJP.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly supported this assessment, saying Nitish Kumar had intended to leave the alliance from the beginning and that his efforts to become its convener were part of that political manoeuvring.
–IANS
ajk/rad
