Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Digvijaya Singh expressed differing views over Nitish Kumar’s 2024 exit from the INDIA bloc during a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi, according to Congress sources cited in media reports.
While Singh argued that the opposition alliance should have made greater efforts to retain Nitish Kumar, Sonia Gandhi reportedly took the view that the Janata Dal (United) leader had already been looking for an opportunity to leave the bloc.
The discussion came as the CWC deliberated on the Congress’ political strategy and its continuing confrontation with the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Digvijaya Singh Says Nitish Kumar Should Have Been Retained
According to Congress sources cited by India Today, Digvijaya Singh told the meeting that the political situation could have been different had Nitish Kumar remained with the INDIA alliance.
Singh argued that the opposition should not have allowed Kumar to leave the coalition.
Sonia Gandhi reportedly disagreed, saying, “Thank God Nitish Kumar left on time.” She was also reported to have argued that Kumar had been repeatedly looking for ways to exit the alliance and alleged that the BJP exercised influence over him.
These remarks were reported on the basis of accounts from Congress sources; neither leader had, at the time of reporting, publicly issued a detailed statement on the exchange.
Nitish Kumar Left INDIA Bloc in January 2024
Nitish Kumar left Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan government and the opposition INDIA grouping on January 28, 2024, before returning to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
He resigned as Bihar Chief Minister that morning before being sworn in again later the same day at the head of an NDA government. It was his ninth oath-taking as Bihar Chief Minister.
Kumar had played an important role in bringing opposition parties together ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, making his departure a significant setback for the then-newly formed alliance.
CWC Escalates Campaign Against Election Commission
The discussion over Nitish Kumar came during a CWC meeting dominated by concerns raised by the Congress over the Election Commission and the SIR of electoral rolls.
The CWC demanded the immediate suspension of the SIR and restoration of 13.3 crore names that the Congress alleges were removed from electoral rolls. It also sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The figure of 13.3 crore represents a Congress allegation regarding deletions during the revision exercise and should not be read as an independently established finding.
The Congress also demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging that the electoral process had been compromised. These are political allegations made by the opposition party.
Election Commission Rejects Allegations
The Election Commission has rejected allegations that its electoral-roll decisions were unlawful or politically motivated.
Amid reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections to some decisions, the poll body said differing views were a normal part of institutional deliberations and maintained that its orders had legal sanction and followed statutory procedures.
Gyanesh Kumar has served as India’s Chief Election Commissioner since February 19, 2025.
INDIA Bloc Meeting to Discuss SIR Row
The CWC meeting came ahead of an INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for Wednesday, where opposition parties are expected to discuss their approach towards the SIR exercise, the functioning of the Election Commission and related electoral-roll concerns.
The Congress has said it intends to pursue the issue through Parliament, the courts and political protests, while the Election Commission continues to defend the legality of its actions.
The reported disagreement between Sonia Gandhi and Digvijaya Singh also brought renewed attention to the opposition alliance’s handling of Nitish Kumar’s departure in 2024, more than two years after he returned to the NDA.
