After the BJP’s recent assembly victories in the Hindi heartland states and with the impending inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370 has introduced another polarizing issue for the INDIA bloc to grapple with ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The divided opinions within the INDIA bloc range from Left and J&K parties expressing disappointment to Shiv Sena welcoming the ruling. While Congress urged a move past the sensitive matter, emphasizing the SC’s conclusion on abrogation, the stance may not align well with J&K parties NC and PDP, which plan to continue their struggle. The alliance is expected to address the issue at its December 19 meeting, possibly focusing on the demand for the restoration of J&K’s statehood. The opposition’s cautious approach stems from BJP’s recent electoral successes and the forthcoming Ram Temple inauguration, as injecting the J&K issue into the discourse could be advantageous for the ruling party.