How Rahul Gandhi is stirring the poll pot in Bihar

India Today

19-05-2025

On May 15, the afternoon air at the Ambedkar Kalyan Hostel courtyard in Bihar's Darbhanga was cloying with muggy air, the humidity hanging like a damp sheet. Even the two security officers, in their sky-blue safari suits, could not escape beads of sweat racing down their temples, their eyes darting over the perimeter with taut alertness.Yet, when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi—dressed simply in an unwrinkled white T?shirt—ascended the makeshift dais, he appeared impervious to the stifling heat or the administration's refusal to grant permission for the gathering. Greeting the assembled students with a warm, unhurried smile, he declared: 'Do you know why they couldn't stop me? Because I carry the strength of your support.'advertisementRahul's address then swept effortlessly through a litany of demands: a comprehensive caste census in the country; reservation extended to private educational institutions and corporate employers; the dismantling of entrenched obstacles inhibiting social mobility and so on. In Hindi, his promise resonated like a clarion call: 'Main aapko guarantee deta hoon, jaise hi Hindustan mein hamari sarkar aayegi, jaise hi Bihar mein hamari sarkar aayegi, hum ye sab badal denge aur aapke liye jo sahi hai, woh karke dikha denge (I guarantee that the moment we install our government in India and Bihar, we will usher in change and execute what is in people's welfare).'An enthusiastic applause rippled through the crowd, the echo momentarily outshouting even the relentless heat. This was Rahul's fourth visit to assembly poll-bound Bihar this year—a frequency unprecedented in the Congress's recent history.advertisementQUOTAS, JOBSAs elections loom, the Congress is making a concerted push to reclaim lost ground in Bihar. Central to its strategy is Rahul's visible involvement. His padayatra (foot marches) through districts such as Begusarai have thrust the issues of reservation quotas and youth unemployment into the spotlight.In early April, Rahul had joined the 'Palayan Roko, Naukri Do' march, denouncing the state's 50?per?cent cap on caste-based reservations as a 'fake wall' that must be 'demolished'. He announced at another gathering how he had even challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly: 'I told him in the Lok Sabha that if the 50?per?cent reservation wall isn't removed, we will bring it down ourselves.'By framing the debate in such stark terms, Rahul had tried to tap into the deep undercurrents of caste politics in Bihar, where OBCs (Other Backward Classes), EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes), Dalits and Muslims together form a clear majority.In his speeches, Rahul has deftly interlinked jobs, youth welfare and reservation policy. Highlighting the struggles of migrant labourers and jobless graduates, he argues that expanding government employment is vital in a state where private-sector opportunities remain scant. His focus on the 18-29 age cohort—over a fifth of Bihar's electorate—underscores a determined effort to court younger voters.advertisementA NEW LEADERSHIPParallel to Rahul's public campaign, the Congress has overhauled its Bihar set-up. In mid-March, the party replaced its upper-caste state president Akhilesh Singh with Rajesh Kumar, a two-term MLA from the Ravidas Dalit community. The decision, taken at a meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Rahul, signals a shift in emphasis towards Dalit representation. As a senior Bihar Congress leader confided: 'We're focusing squarely on the Dalit vote in this election.'Rajesh Kumar's elevation is both symbolic and strategic. The Ravidas community accounts for roughly 5?per?cent of Bihar's Scheduled Caste (SC) population, making him a figurehead for the Congress's renewed outreach to marginalised groups. Dozens of Congress district committees have been reconstituted to boost the representation of OBCs, EBCs and Dalits while state in-charge Krishna Allavaru has issued stern warnings against factionalism. Together, these moves aim to project a more unified, grassroots-oriented party apparatus.TARGETING SOCIAL-JUSTICE VOTERSThe Congress's messaging has homed in on themes of social justice and affirmative action. Rahul has demanded a nationwide caste census—a longstanding demand of ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)—and dismissed Bihar's 2023 survey as woefully inadequate. By championing for a comprehensive caste study, he is aligning the Congress with calls for stronger protections of quotas and greater empowerment of deprived castes. This rhetoric is designed to resonate with Dalits, OBCs and EBCs, forging a broad social coalition.advertisementNEGOTIATING THE INDIA ALLIANCEAll these organisational and rhetorical shifts occur against the backdrop of the INDIA alliance, the umbrella grouping of Opposition parties. In Bihar, where the BJP-JD(U) combine remains a formidable foe, the Congress insists on contesting only those seats where it retains genuine prospects. At a March strategy meeting, Rahul reminded legislators of their 2020 performance—19 seats won out of the 70 contested—and urged for improvement. Meanwhile, the Congress has accorded the RJD a leading role in seat-sharing, accepting Tejashwi Yadav as the head of the alliance's coordination committee, thereby ensuring that electoral arrangements are managed jointly.WHAT NEXT?For decades, the Congress was Bihar's dominant force; today, it is a marginal player overshadowed by regional heavyweights. 'We lack leaders with the stature of Nitish Kumar or Lalu Prasad,' admitted a local activist. 'The Congress must identify fresh youth talent to revive its fortunes in Bihar.'Yet strategists believe that Rahul's high-profile engagement and the elevation of leaders like Rajesh Kumar mark the first steps of a gradual regeneration. Through padayatras, a focus on jobs and quotas, and a revamped district network, the Congress seeks to demonstrate genuine concern for the state's deprived communities. Whether these initiatives can translate into tangible gains at the ballot box remains to be seen. For now, however, the party has clearly signalled its intent: to fight and not fade away in Bihar's fiercely contested political arena.advertisementSubscribe to India Today MagazineTune InMust Watch