With the Bihar polls approaching, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his sixth visit to the state, this year, took the battle to the region and votebanks of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and NDA ally Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Gandhi during his visit to Rajgir and Gaya sharpened his campaign pitch around caste census, social justice, and economic inequality.
Speaking at the Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan (Constitution Protection Conference), Gandhi accused the BJP-led Centre of ignoring the voices of 90% of India's population, referring to OBCs, EBCs, Dalits and Adivasis, who, he said, remain largely excluded from institutions of power and high jobs. Gandhi also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government saying that the issue of caste census was not over as the government may like to bring out the exact figures.
Through his conference centered on Constitution, he reached out to the marginalised communities. As he visited Dasrath Manjhi memorial and even met his family, it was clear that he was wooing the Manjhi community which trainable had been with Nitish Kumar and Manjhi. Dasrath Manjhi, also known as 'mountain man' had chiselled out a road through the mountain as the road to the main city was circuitous. He had lost his wife due to it. There is even a biopic made on his life.
In a significant gesture, Gandhi met Bhagirath Manjhi, Dashrath Manjhi’s son. Party sources suggest Bhagirath could be fielded from the Bodh Gaya Assembly seat, signalling Congress’s effort to re-engage with marginalised voters and grassroots icons.
Gandhi said Rajgir was once a land of truth and justice. “Today, it's seen as the crime capital of Bihar. The youth here migrate for jobs. Why are 90% of the people missing from top positions in business, healthcare or education,” said Gandhi.
Meanwhile, this invited a sharp retort from Union Minister Jitanram Manjhi saying had Gandhi come here during the Lalu era, he could have been kidnapped.
In Gaya, Gandhi addressed a women's conference thus leaving little doubt that Congress’s strategy was to woo Nitish Kumar's loyal vote bank.
The Congress is hoping to fill the space in the post-Nitish scenario.
Moreover, Rahul Gandhi’s solo outreach in Bihar— without RJD or Tejashwi Yadav — indicates a shift in the Congress strategy in Bihar as it wants to revive its party independent of the dominant ally.
As BJP is making Operation Sindoor an election issue, Gandhi also took a dig at Prime Minister Modi for his silence on former US President Donald Trump’s repeated claim that he “stopped a war” between India and Pakistan.
“Trump has said this 11 times. Modi hasn’t denied it once. The truth is — Trump made Modi surrender.”
Gandhi's multiple visits to the state have given a peek into the Congress strategy. The party is trying to woo the marginalised communities to revive its fortunes in the state.
