In a major blow to India's opposition camp, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday evening walked out of the India Bloc - a recently formed alliance of regional parties aiming to challenge the ruling BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The dramatic move came after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was named the bloc's chairperson, a decision that reportedly left Kumar feeling sidelined and his own prime ministerial ambitions dashed.
Kumar had been working to bring together opposition parties and had hoped to lead the India Bloc. He also reportedly had ambitions to be the prime ministerial candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, when he learned that Kharge would be the chairman of the bloc, he was reportedly furious and decided to leave.
Kumar Ignored Calls from Rahul, Sonia, Kharge
Despite attempts by Congress leaders to reach out to him, Kumar did not answer three calls from Rahul Gandhi and refused to meet with Bihar Congress President Akhilesh Singh. Even after it was clear that he was leaving the India Bloc to join the NDA, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and current President Mallikarjun Kharge tried to contact Kumar, but he did not respond to either of them.