Congress readies aggressive Bihar campaign with Rahul Gandhi leading nine statewide tours.
New Delhi: Even as Congress eyes a return to power in Bihar along with its Mahagatbandhan partners, the grand old party is planning several more trips of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, buoyed by the success of his Voter Adhikar Yatra.
The Congress has been out of power in the state for over 35 years and is seeking to regain lost ground in the politically sensitive state.
Rahul Gandhi recently concluded his 16-day Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar along with RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, VIP’s Mukesh Sahni, Left leader Dipankar Bhattacharya and others.
Congress sources said the party has been able to build momentum ahead of the polls on the issues of voter theft, unemployment, migration, and education.
To sustain the momentum of its aggressive campaign in the state, sources said the party is planning to launch Rahul Gandhi as its main campaign face with as many as nine more tours in the coming days.
Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli, has already toured Bihar over eight times this year, and now the party is planning further campaigns.
Sources indicated that the state unit has proposed over nine big public meetings along with several other programmes, including roadshows.
They stated that the party has also planned campaigning by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other top leaders as the main star campaigners in the state.
A request has been made for Priyanka Gandhi to address a major public meeting in Champaran after September 20.
Rahul Gandhi is also expected to return to Bihar from September 25 onwards.
The party is also chalking out a joint campaign strategy in the state, which it plans to roll out across all 243 assembly constituencies.
Sources pointed out that joint public meetings will help Mahagatbandhan partners save time while ensuring they reach all constituencies before the elections.
They further stated that top leaders of the Mahagatbandhan, including Tejashwi Yadav, Sahni, Bhattacharya, and the Congress leadership, will soon release a joint manifesto. The document will reflect the alliance’s common minimum programme and outline promises including employment opportunities, filling vacant government posts, free electricity up to 200 units, and the Mai Bahin Samman scheme, among others.
Sources also indicated that CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi and RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav will join the campaign during its final phase, depending on their health condition.
The Mahagatbandhan is expected to launch its joint campaign soon after the seat-sharing formula is finalised.
Elections in Bihar are scheduled to take place later this year in October and November. The Mahagatbandhan is aiming to wrest power from the ruling NDA, led by Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United).
