India, Feb. 23 -- Even before the Delhi assembly election results were out, people had started speculating whether the INDIA bloc was signing its death warrant. Jammu and Kashmir chief minister (CM) Omar Abdullah demanded that members of the bloc should get together to work out a framework for moving forward once the elections ended. Abdullah was worried as bloc members, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, were contesting against each other in Delhi. His apprehension proved right.

The bloc faces another litmus test in Bihar, where assembly elections are due in November-December. The Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress have been contesting elections jointly here. But, key coalition members regret conceding f...