Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has openly criticised the INDIA bloc, saying internal missteps pushed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar back to the BJP-led NDA.
His remarks at the HT Leadership Summit have exposed visible fractures within the opposition alliance ahead of upcoming political challenges.
Abdullah said the alliance mishandled Kumar’s role in the bloc despite his efforts to bring parties together in 2023 in preparation for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He recalled a key meeting where Kumar was sidelined when the convenor position for the alliance was being discussed.
According to Abdullah, another leader was implicitly granted veto power during the meeting, with Kumar present in the room.
Kumar’s JDU later returned to the NDA before the 2024 general elections after briefly joining hands with the RJD. The NDA went on to sweep the Bihar elections this year, while the RJD and the Congress recorded their worst performances.
Abdullah admitted that the INDIA alliance is struggling to stay united and said the bloc is “on life support.”
Pointing to inconsistencies, he questioned the status of parties like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which was not part of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. He asked who would be responsible if such parties exited the national alliance.
He also said the bloc needs clarity in how it functions. According to him, if the alliance wants to operate as a national front, it must work cohesively and not as loose state-specific arrangements. Abdullah added that the BJP contested elections with far greater intensity, while the INDIA bloc lacked the same commitment.
Responding to Abdullah’s statements, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said his remarks were a reality check for the opposition. He claimed Abdullah had highlighted how the alliance alienated Nitish Kumar and how partners like the JMM may also feel sidelined. Poonawala dismissed the INDIA bloc as an alliance driven by convenience, corruption, and ambition.