Lok Sabha polls 2024: Who is likely to lead the opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A?

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Alliance (INDIA) to challenge the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). However, amidst this grand coalition lies one of the most critical challenges - the selection of a strong and unifying leader to spearhead the bloc.

Noting it to be a very minor issue, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said a concrete decision will be taken on this during the next meeting in Mumbai. He also said, discussions will also be held regarding seat sharing and campaign management.  The alliance's strength relies on the leader's ability to galvanise support, rally diverse parties together, and present a credible alternative to the NDA.

Hence to lead the bloc, the biggest contenders are Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) stalwart Sharad Pawar, and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, as per political experts.  Now, the possibility of Sharad Pawar leading the opposition front is slim considering the turmoil in NCP, which recently witnessed the exit of Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, and Chhagan Bhujbal. Also, age is another factor that can be counted as a disadvantage for octogenarian Sharad Pawar.  Mamata Banerjee is a flamboyant leader, who made many things possible in her political career, spanning over four decades.

But the TMC supremo, unlike former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu who led a similar alliance in the 90s, lacks nationwide appeal.  Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister, played a significant role in bringing all the parties together, but his past association with the NDA has raised trust issues among potential alliance members. Kumar has expressed a lack of political ambition, making him an improbable candidate for the top