After Bharat Jodo, why some key parties are turning against Congress by Darpan Singh in India Today https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/after-bharat-jodo-why-some-key-parties-are-turning-against-congress/ar-AA18SHdA The Congress wants to lead the Opposition pack and leave a little for others. Others want their lion's share but that doesn't suit the grand old party's stature, even though in a shambles at this point in time. It's a battle for political survival for regional parties. And they can sniff an opportunity provided by a Congress at its weakest and the two terms of anti-incumbency shadowing the BJP, if such a thing exists for the saffron bloc.
The Congress sees two terms of the BJP as its opportunity to return to glory, substantially if not wholly. Nothing wrong with that. But essentially, it has two options: risk a BJP return by letting a third front emerge or bow to regional players who don't really want, beyond their pressure posturing, to leave it out. In fact, the Congress might be a gainer going with the second option.
The crux of the matter is, the bigger the spotlight on Rahul, especially as the lead of the pack, the shriller the third-front talk will get. The hallowed principle of equidistance is nothing but advantage BJP.