Congress Leadership Under Fire as INDIA Bloc Suffers Crushing Defeat in Bihar

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The Congress' dismal performance in the Bihar elections has sparked a growing clamour for a change in leadership of the INDIA bloc. The party won a mere 6 seats out of 61 it contested, a strike rate of just 9.8%. The opposition has pointed to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's unblemished record of defeating the BJP as a strong case for her to lead the bloc. Analysts believe that the results of the Bihar election will have far-reaching consequences for the politics of the Opposition and the INDIA bloc. With a series of key elections looming, including in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, the opposition parties are likely to reassess their strategies and alliances. The Bihar debacle has dealt a significant blow to the Congress's negotiating powers within the alliance, with a leader admitting that the party's performance may hinder its ability to bargain for extra seats in other states. The Congress's lack of a base in Bihar has also been highlighted as a major factor in its poor showing. Furthermore, the AIMIM's victory in 5 seats in the Seemanchal region has raised concerns that a section of Muslim voters are looking beyond the INDIA bloc for electoral options. This development is likely to put pressure on the opposition parties to reassess their strategies and alliances in the run-up to the next elections. The INDIA bloc's leadership is now facing intense scrutiny, with calls for introspection and a review of their strategy. As one analyst noted, the opposition parties need to discuss the results within each party and collectively at a meeting of the bloc to determine the way forward.