New Delhi: Amid growing tensions within the Mahagathbandhan over seat sharing arrangements ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar later this year, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi landed in Patna on Saturday. He met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav in Patna. Gandhi will address party workers in the state capital and meet members of various social organisations.
Rahul will head straight to Bapu Sabhagar, where he will participate in the ‘Constitution Protection Conference’, organised by civil society groups. After spending two hours there, he will proceed to the state Congress headquarters, Sadakat Ashram. At Sadakat Ashram, Gandhi will address Congress workers and inaugurate the new Indira Bhawan.
Mahagathbandhan facing internal disagreements
It is his first visit to Bihar since the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Gandhi’s visit comes at a time when the Mahagathbandhan is facing internal disagreements over seat allocation. According to reports, Congress wants to contest at least 70 seats, but the RJD is unwilling to settle for fewer than 150 seats. Tensions between the two parties have led to increasing political rhetoric.
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RJD is sceptical about Congress’s strike rate in the state as in 2021 polls too the grand old party won very few seats. Political observers at that time had said that it was Congress which dragged the Mahagatbandhan’s tally down with its below par performance.
Rahul to galvanise party workers ahead of polls
Apart from aiming to strengthen Congress’s position within the Mahagathbandhan, Gandhi might also attempt to galvanise party workers and create a buzz ahead of the elections.
Meanwhile, RJD has called for a meeting of its national executive today, where an announcement over the appointment of a new state president is expected. Mangni Lal Mandal is favourite to take over the mantel from the current president Jagdanand Singh who is conspicuous by his absence from party events for the past two months.
