Patna, November 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A political row has erupted in Bihar over Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s remarks about former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his exit from the INDIA Bloc, with the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) accusing the Congress of ignoring his contribution to Opposition unity.
JD-U National Working President and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha criticised the Congress, saying it was unfair to overlook Nitish Kumar’s role in bringing Opposition parties together. He said Kumar had personally contacted political leaders across the country, taken the initiative to build trust among them and played a key role in organising the INDIA Bloc’s first meeting in Patna.
Jha argued that portraying Kumar’s departure from an alliance meeting as being driven by trivial reasons undermined his contribution to the formation of the Opposition coalition. He also said the circumstances that led to Kumar’s exit should be discussed rather than focusing only on his decision to leave.
The controversy follows the release of Sonia Gandhi’s 544-page memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, on November 10. Published in India by HarperCollins, the book recounts her personal journey and political experiences, including the formation of the INDIA Bloc and the challenges faced by Opposition parties ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Nitish Kumar initially played an active role in bringing Opposition parties together but left the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar in January 2024 and returned to the BJP-led NDA, dealing a setback to the Opposition alliance before the general elections.
The debate has also revived reports about remarks made by Sonia Gandhi during a Congress Working Committee meeting on September 29-30 this year. According to media reports, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said the party should not have allowed Kumar to leave the INDIA Bloc, suggesting that the political situation might have been different had he remained with the coalition.
Sonia Gandhi reportedly responded that it was fortunate Kumar had left when he did, adding that he had been looking for an opportunity to exit the alliance. She also alleged that he was under the BJP’s influence. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly backed this assessment, saying Kumar had intended to leave from the beginning and that his efforts to become the alliance’s convener were part of that political manoeuvring.
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 leader Sanjay Jha criticises Sonia Gandhi over remarks on Nitish Kumar’s exit from the INDIA Bloc, defending his role in Opposition unity.){kind=link}