Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in a public address on Thursday, attributed the INDIA bloc's struggle to maintain its initial momentum to the Congress party's heavy engagement in the assembly polls of five states. Kumar's remarks were made at a rally organized by the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Patna, and the event was aptly themed 'Bhaajpa hataao, desh bachao' (remove the BJP from power, save the nation).
Surrounded by prominent political figures including CPI's general secretary, D Raja, Nitish Kumar reflected on the collaborative efforts of opposition parties to form the INDIA coalition against the current ruling administration at the national level. However, he lamented that progress within the coalition had recently stagnated, primarily due to the Congress party's pronounced focus on the ongoing assembly elections in the five states.
In the INDIA coalition, it was collectively decided to entrust Congress with a leading role, yet Kumar expressed concerns that any substantial response or significant coalition meetings might be deferred until the conclusion of the state elections. He emphasized that the initial momentum, sparked by the opposition's united front and his own initiation of a meeting of opposition leaders in Patna back in June, has lost its vigor.
Notably, the BJP seized the opportunity to mock Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in response to Nitish Kumar's remarks, using phrases like "tukde tukde" alliance to underscore alleged confusion and contradiction within the party's vision and mission.
Nitish Kumar's critique of Congress coincided with Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav's recent criticism of the Congress party for its failure to establish a seat-sharing strategy in the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
In addition to his commentary on the Congress party, Kumar also aimed a critique at the BJP, which he had distanced himself from approximately a year ago. He accused the BJP of attempting to sow divisions between Hindus and Muslims, contrasting this with Bihar's relatively stable record of communal harmony. Furthermore, Kumar denounced the BJP-led central government for its alleged efforts to manipulate the country's historical narrative, obscuring the party's lack of involvement in India's struggle for independence.
Kumar's address also touched upon his close affiliation with Left parties, recalling his early association with the CPI and CPI(M) during the 1980s when they had lent support to his initial election victory. He expressed admiration for the Left's progressive outlook, noting that their rallies had a strong presence of women, even during times when it was uncommon. In a lighter vein, Kumar suggested that the Left parties, with their shared origins, should consider unifying as a single entity. This proposal was met with a smile from CPI's general secretary, D Raja.
Lastly, Kumar addressed the issue of media freedom, alleging that the media failed to adequately cover the positive initiatives undertaken by his government in Bihar due to perceived constraints imposed by the BJP-led central government.
