RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav has publicly endorsed Mamata Banerjee to lead the INDIA opposition bloc, echoing similar sentiments from Sharad Pawar. Congress downplayed the matter, with Rahul Gandhi reportedly dismissing it as media hype. However, unease simmers among allies over Congress’s perceived unilateralism and focus on the Adani issue, while concerns about Congress’s electoral performance fuel the leadership debate.