Rahul Gandhi’s stance on Delhi has only recently become clear, but his approach to Bihar was evident much earlier. During his Patna visit, Rahul Gandhi was seen warmly greeting and embracing members of Lalu Yadav’s family, reflecting a distinct political strategy. His tone while speaking about Tejashwi Yadav closely resembled the one he used for Arvind Kejriwal during the Seelampur rally in Delhi.
During the Congress rally in Seelampur, which was part of the Delhi election campaign, Rahul Gandhi, for the first time in recent history, directly targeted Arvind Kejriwal by name. He equated the former Delhi Chief Minister with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting that both leaders were alike in their approach. While Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Modi has been a regular feature of his speeches, his 2020 Delhi election remark—“…then the youth will hit with sticks”—remains one of his most talked-about statements.
After his Bihar visit, Rahul Gandhi canceled his scheduled events due to health issues, including his much-anticipated march in the New Delhi constituency. While a new date for the march is yet to be announced, Congress rallies in Delhi have begun in full swing, bringing Arvind Kejriwal directly into Rahul Gandhi’s line of fire.
Following Rahul Gandhi’s first rally in Delhi, Kejriwal responded cautiously, stating that he had no comment to make since both leaders were engaged in different battles. According to Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi is fighting to save Congress, while he himself is fighting for the country.
However, when Rahul Gandhi accused Kejriwal of being terrified at the mere mention of Modi’s name and attacked him over the Delhi liquor scam, the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy, and the 2020 Delhi riots, Kejriwal retaliated.
Kejriwal reminded Rahul Gandhi of the National Herald case and questioned why he and his family had not been arrested yet. He even mentioned Robert Vadra, the husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Wayanad.
A Glimpse into the Bihar Elections through Delhi’s Lens
The political scenario unfolding in Delhi offers a preview of what’s to come in the Bihar elections later this year. The only difference? In Bihar, instead of Kejriwal, Lalu Yadav and his family will be in Rahul Gandhi’s crosshairs.
As soon as Rahul Gandhi arrived in Patna, he dismissed the caste census conducted in Bihar as fraudulent—something that Tejashwi Yadav often touts as one of his major political achievements. According to Rahul Gandhi, the caste census in Bihar was nothing more than a deception, and he assured that Congress would conduct a genuine caste-based census at any cost. Notably, this statement has now become a recurring theme in his speeches across Delhi as well.
Just like the INDIA alliance in Delhi appears to be split into two distinct factions, a similar division is likely to be witnessed in Bihar. After all, Lalu Yadav’s recent suggestion to make Mamata Banerjee the leader of the INDIA bloc must have had some repercussions. Could this be the primary reason for Rahul Gandhi’s growing displeasure with Lalu Yadav and his family?
- Just as Kejriwal is being targeted over the liquor scam in Delhi, it’s highly likely that Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav will be attacked over the fodder scam in Bihar.
- Much like the BJP and Nitish Kumar, Rahul Gandhi is expected to remind the people of Bihar about the era of ‘jungle raj’ to instill fear.
- There’s also a strong possibility that, similar to the Telangana elections, Rahul Gandhi will accuse Tejashwi Yadav of dynastic politics, just as he did with K. Chandrashekar Rao’s family.
The Bihar Battle: A Mirror of the Delhi Fight
While the Congress-AAP alliance reaped significant benefits in the Chandigarh mayoral elections, Congress is contesting alone in Delhi. On the other hand, AAP has secured support from TMC and the Samajwadi Party. Kejriwal has strong backing from both Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav, and sources suggest that Akhilesh might even campaign for AAP in Delhi.
Given the increasing activity of leaders like Akhilesh Pratap Singh in Bihar and Rahul Gandhi’s current stance, it seems unlikely that Congress will continue its alliance with RJD in the upcoming Bihar elections.
Rahul Gandhi’s latest remarks on the caste census further reinforce this assumption. Some political analysts believe that the INDIA alliance will cease to exist after the Delhi elections, making it highly probable that Congress will contest Bihar alone, just as it is doing in Delhi.
After all, the INDIA bloc doesn’t hold much significance until the 2029 general elections, and whatever little importance it does have is primarily beneficial to regional parties. For Congress, however, staying in the alliance may prove to be more of a liability than an advantage.
As the political dynamics evolve, one thing is clear—Rahul Gandhi is setting the stage for a major realignment, both in Delhi and Bihar, which could redefine Congress’s approach to alliances in the years to come.
