Addressing a press conference in Jharkhand’s Gumla, Rahul Gandhi emphasised the continued involvement of key members, including Mamata Banerjee, within the alliance framework.
Speaking on the alliance dynamics, Gandhi noted that while some members like Nitish Kumar have departed to join the BJP, the core essence of the INDIA alliance remains intact.
“Mamata (Banerjee) is very much part of the INDIA alliance and most of the other members who are part of the INDIA alliance are still members of the INDIA alliance,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“Nitish Kumar has left the alliance and he’s gone to the BJP. You can guess as to what the reasons are for him leaving. That’s fine. We’ll fight in Bihar as the INDIA alliance. So I don’t agree that lots of our partners are not part of the alliance,” he said.
One of the key architects of the INDIA bloc, Nitish pulled out of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar as he took oath as chief minister for the ninth time with support from the NDA earlier in January.Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have already indicated that the parties will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls alone in West Bengal, Punjab and Haryana.Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which is currently in Jharkhand where in the past recent days, has seen major political developments from former CM Hemant Soren arrested by ED and Champai Soren forming the new government in the state.
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