Nitish blames Congress for INDIA inertia

New Delhi, November 2

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday blamed the Congress’ preoccupation with the Assembly polls in five states for the INDIA coalition’s inability to build on the momentum it had gained in recent months.

The JD(U) leader stated this at a rally in Patna, held by the CPI, which was evocatively themed ‘Bhaajpa hataao desh bachao’ (dislodge the BJP from power, save the country).

Speaking in the presence of senior leaders like CPI general secretary D Raja, the Bihar CM recalled that parties opposed to the current dispensation had come together to form the new coalition. “But, of late, there has not been much progress on that front. The Congress seems to be more interested in the five Assembly polls. In the INDIA coalition, all of us had agreed to assign the Congress the leading role. But it appears it will respond and call the next meeting only after it is through with the elections,” said Kumar. Reacting to the statement, the Congress stressed the importance of the Assembly elections and asserted it was fighting them “seriously”. The Congress also said the bloc had been formed for the 2024 LS polls and was not state-specific.