The leadership of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA bloc) is facing mounting pressure after the coalition’s disappointing performance in the recent Bihar Assembly elections. While Mallikarjun Kharge remains the bloc’s official chairperson and Rahul Gandhi continues as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, dissatisfaction among major alliance partners is becoming increasingly visible. Several constituents are openly calling for a leadership overhaul, with the Samajwadi Party (SP) pushing Akhilesh Yadav as the preferred face to lead the coalition.
Samajwadi Party Backs Akhilesh Yadav for Leadership
The SP has emerged as the strongest critic of the current leadership structure. Party leaders argue that Akhilesh Yadav has shown exceptional organisational capability and political sacrifice—qualities they believe position him as the natural leader of the INDIA bloc.
SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra, speaking to CNN-News18, asserted that Yadav “should be made the leader of the INDIA alliance because in the Bihar Assembly elections all the opposition parties have seen how he makes sacrifices for the alliance." He pointed out that despite the SP not contesting a single seat in Bihar, Yadav addressed 26 high-profile rallies in support of alliance partners.
Mehrotra also criticised the Congress–RJD “friendly contests” in 13 constituencies, which he said undermined the credibility and cohesion of the alliance. According to him, the Congress should have unequivocally supported the RJD, the largest opposition party in Bihar, rather than competing against it.
Reaffirming the SP’s independent electoral strength, Mehrotra claimed that the party could defeat the BJP on its own in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. However, he emphasised the need for opposition unity: “We want that the non-BJP vote should not get divided; therefore, the elections will be fought together."
SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand echoed these sentiments, stating that cadres across the party believe Akhilesh Yadav should assume charge of the INDIA bloc. Chand credited Yadav with strengthening opposition unity through padyatras and extensive outreach, calling him “the real leader of the INDIA alliance." He argued that future elections must be fought on the basis of “social capacity” and political effectiveness.
AAP Takes a Swipe Amid INDIA Bloc Discord
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which exited the bloc earlier this year, took a pointed dig at the leadership crisis. Without naming anyone, the party remarked that “one should not go on vacation in the middle of a campaign," an unmistakable reference to Rahul Gandhi’s jungle safari at Satpura Tiger Reserve on November 10, when the Bihar campaign was at its peak.
Criticising the Congress’s performance, AAP said the party “needs the most self-reflection" and questioned why its six-seat tally was being hailed as an achievement. AAP leaders reiterated that the party is neither part of the INDIA bloc nor aligned with the Congress.
BJP Declares INDIA Bloc ‘Finished’
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has capitalised on the opposition’s internal turmoil. BJP’s Pradeep Bhandari posted on X that the alliance had essentially collapsed, recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier prediction that opposition leaders would eventually question Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. Bhandari described the unfolding situation as “a trailer" of a possible split within the Congress and claimed that Gandhi had been “rejected by Opposition members."
Congress Dismisses Talk of Collapse
Despite mounting criticism, the Congress has attempted to project unity within the INDIA bloc. Party spokesperson Surendra Rajput rejected claims of disintegration, stating, “In our INDIA Alliance all are in leadership position and we are one." He contrasted the bloc with the NDA, where, he said, decisions are centralised within the BJP.
Some Trinamool Congress leaders had earlier proposed Mamata Banerjee as a potential leader of the alliance, adding another layer to the ongoing debate over the coalition’s future direction.
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