NEW DELHI: The meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc scheduled for December 6 has been put off for later this month, after three key leaders conveyed their inability to attend.
While Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is unwell, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said she was busy with a family wedding, and TN CM MK Stalin conveyed his pre-occupation with floods in the state, sources quoted them as having told Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.However, with SP chiefAkhilesh Yadav issuing caustic statements and being unable to come for the meeting, the postponement is seen as forced by allies’ bid to get back at Congress for its “unilateralism”, after its rout in the polls. Sources close to two members of the bloc confirmed to TOI they would have asked Congress about Kamal Nath‘s dismissive reference to Akhilesh Yadav.

INDIA bloc huddle postponed to third week of December: Kharge’s office

An announcement by Kharge’s office said a coordination meeting of the parliamentary party leaders of the INDIA alliance will be held on December 6 at Congress chief’s residence, and a meeting of the heads of the INDIA allies will be scheduled in the third week of December according to a common convenient date.
The INDIA bloc was formed as a joint platform for contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against BJP. It held meetings in Patna, Bengaluru and Mumbai, and decided on a few committees to take forward the planning for the joint activities. However, the alliance slipped into inactivity during the last three months, as Congress turned its focus on the five state elections, even eliciting critical remarks from Nitish Kumar. Many felt that Congress was waiting for the polls to be over, as it anticipated a good performance, which could have increased its bargaining power .
“They pushed everything into limbo because of a calculation that went awry. We had planned to ask them about its cost to the unity efforts,” said a source close to one of the regional members of the grouping. Congress’ rout has emboldened SP, TMC, RJD and JDU, to lecture it to be more “accommodating”. It is likely that allies want Congress to cede its leadership role or share it with them.
Watch ‘INDIA’ bloc allies take potshots at Congress over Assembly poll debacle, Mamata not to attend December 6 meeting