X: @the_news_21
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has been appointed as the chairperson of the opposition INDIA bloc, while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been designated as the convener, ending weeks of internal deliberations among the alliance parties. The decision was reached during a virtual meeting of top INDIA bloc leaders held on Saturday.
Despite the appointment, Nitish Kumar declined the role of convener, expressing that someone from the Congress party should assume the responsibility. JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, present at the meeting, reported Kumar stating that he would only accept the role if there was unanimous agreement among all parties.
Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and Trinamool Congress (TMC) Supremo Mamata Banerjee, absent from the meeting, will be briefed about the decision, according to sources familiar with the development.
The INDIA bloc, formed to counter the BJP in the upcoming 2024 general elections, had been grappling with internal challenges, including the contentious appointment of a convener.
The virtual meeting aimed to discuss the seat-sharing agenda, participation in Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, and other crucial matters concerning the alliance. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar attended the meeting via video conferencing in Mumbai, while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi participated from Chennai.
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