The Congress had earlier indicated to enter the Bihar election field alone, but soon made it clear that it will contest the Bihar assembly elections under the banner of the Grand Alliance.
Obviously, the Congress has to accept the terms of Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to contest elections with RJD in the Grand Alliance – and the main factor in the conditions is Rahul Gandhi’s favorite leader Kanhaiya Kumar and MP Pappu Yadav from Purnia.
Lalu Yadav has not been in favor of taking both the leaders in the Congress from the beginning. Because, he considers Kanhaiya Kumar a contestant for Tejashwi Yadav, and does not like Pappu Yadav. In order to defeat Pappu Yadav in the Lok Sabha elections, Tejashwi Yadav had camped in Purnia, but failed. Like 2019, in 2024, Tejashwi Yadav did not allow Kanhaiya Kumar to contest from Begusarai under the banner of the Grand Alliance.
The problem like Lok Sabha elections will not come, but it will definitely be a difficult challenge for Rahul Gandhi to persuade Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav on the role of Kanhaiya Kumar and Pappu Yadav, and all this is going to start with Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Bihar. Rahul Gandhi is going to Bihar again on 7 April – if seen, this will be his third visit in 2025.
Rahul Gandhi can go to Begusarai for Kanhaiya
It has been heard that Rahul Gandhi can also go to Begusarai to support Kanhaiya Kumar after Patna. Kanhaiya Kumar is currently going on a journey of Congress’s ‘Exodus, Job Do’.
In his third Bihar tour, Rahul Gandhi will participate in the Constitution Security Conference in the Memorial Hall in memory of Mahatma Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha, and will interact with social workers.
According to a report, Rahul Gandhi can also go to Begusarai from Patna. It is said that permission has been taken from the local administration to remove Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter. Kanhaiya Kumar is a resident of Begusarai, and has also contested elections on CPI ticket in 2019. However, Giriraj Singh of BJP defeated Kanhaiya Kumar.
Congress’s ‘Exodus stop, Job Do’ Yatra started from Bhitiharwa Ashram in West Champaran, from where Mahatma Gandhi started the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917. It was already expressed by the big Congress leaders to participate in Kanhaiya Kumar’s visit, and Rahul Gandhi’s involvement is special. The leaders of Delhi Congress also made such a visit during the election, but neither Rahul Gandhi, nor Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge joined – Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in Bihar Yatra should be considered a sign of seriousness of the Congress.
Congress’s caste equation at district level in Bihar
Before the visit of Bihar, Rahul Gandhi is also going to meet the District Presidents of Bihar Congress on 4 April, who are reaching Delhi. Late night on 1 April, the Congress leadership announced the appointment of 40 presidents in Bihar.
After removing the upper caste leader and giving the command of Bihar Congress to Dalit Face Rajesh Kumar, the dominance of the upper castes has been seen again. The number of Dalits is much less than the rest of the newly created district presidents.
21 new faces have been given place in the list of 40 district heads of Bihar. 19 district heads have been given a chance again. According to the castes, the maximum 14 upper caste district presidents have been made. The upper castes also have 6 Bhumihar, 4 Brahmins, 3 Rajputs and a Kayastha. The number comes after the upper castes. 10 district presidents have been made of backward classes, out of which 5 Yadavs, 3 Kushwaha and 2 Kurmi come from sections.
7 minorities have also been given a chance, including 6 Muslims and one Sikh Congress leaders – but only 5 Dalit leaders have been made District President.
On April 4, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will hold a meeting with all the district heads. This meeting is considered very important before the assembly elections. During this time, organization expansion, party’s strength and assembly elections will be discussed.
The terms of the grand alliance must accept
What is the plan of the Congress regarding Kanhaiya Kumar, it has not been told yet, but Pappu Yadav has to contest the assembly elections. Kanhaiya Kumar has contested the Lok Sabha elections twice so far. In 2024, the Congress fielded Kanhaiya Kumar against BJP’s Manoj Tiwari, but he missed again.
Kanhaiya’s role in Bihar seems limited to campaign, otherwise the question of agreement between RJD and Congress does not arise. By the way, the face of Tejashwi Yadav’s Chief Minister’s post on behalf of the Congress is leaving a place for speculations. In the Bihar assembly elections of 2020, Tejashwi Yadav was declared the Chief Minister’s face of the Grand Alliance in the presence of the Congress leader, and Rahul Gandhi also did an Ndorce.
Bihar Congress in -charge Krishna Allavaru has told the workers, we are still focusing on elections and people’s issues… The seats have not been discussed in the grand alliance yet… You will be informed when the conversation starts… All is all is well.
Bihar Pradesh Congress President Rajesh Kumar says that he will fight firmly unitedly. The matter is fine, but if Kanhaiya Kumar descends into the campaign, then there will be comparison with Tejashwi Yadav. For example, in 2019, the debate on the education of both the leaders continued – if no one else, Prashant Kishore will do a ruckus.
While deciding the role of Kanhaiya Kumar and Pappu Yadav in the election campaign too, it will have to be kept in mind that there should be no conflict with Tejashwi Yadav – and this will be the biggest challenge in Bihar for Rahul Gandhi.