Mallikarjun Kharge Chosen To Lead INDIA Opposition Bloc

After intense deliberations, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has been selected as the chairperson of the opposition bloc INDIA, according to sources. An official announcement is yet to be made by the INDIA bloc. Another contender for the top post was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, but in today's meeting, it was suggested that someone from Congress should assume charge, according to NDTV.

Chairperson of opposition bloc INDIA- Kharge

The group of opposition parties known as INDIA, or 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance,' has been formed, including the Congress. The aim is to challenge the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and prevent it from winning a third consecutive term at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, reported NDTV. The meeting held today had representatives from all parties, except the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party.

However, addressing the challenge of seat-sharing among all the parties is just one aspect faced by the INDIA bloc. The issue of seat-sharing, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, presents a significant challenge, as the Samajwadi Party is unlikely to be forgiving due to the state Congress's refusal to share any seats in the assembly elections. State party chief Kamal Nath had declined to honour the central leadership's commitment to six seats in the state.

Public ripples followed, with Akhilesh Yadav's criticisms of the Congress, after which the party experienced a crushing defeat in the three heartland states, and Kamal Nath was removed from the top post. Contentious discussions between Congress and AAP are also ongoing. The party desires four seats in Delhi and seven seats in Punjab, but AAP is unwilling to comply. In both Delhi and Punjab, the ruling party seeks a larger share of seats. AAP is also expressing interest in contesting in Goa, Haryana, and Gujarat, according to NDTV citing sources.