Pappu Yadav has shown interest in Congress, but the party has not clarified his role yet. Pappu Yadav, who merged his Jan Adhikar Party with Congress, has been active in Jharkhand and Delhi elections, campaigning for Congress candidates. A planned meeting between Bihar Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi on March 12 has been postponed until after Holi. The Congress leadership wants more information about Bihar politics before making decisions. There are concerns about some Congress leaders, including state president Akhilesh Kumar Singh, which could create challenges for the Grand Alliance and RJD.
Congress delays Bihar discussion
The Congress meeting on Bihar was postponed, officially due to Holi, but the actual reason is said to be different. Congress is gathering information through Allavaru and has learned that some Bihar leaders are closely aligned with RJD. During his visit to Gujarat, Gandhi mentioned identifying and removing Congress leaders who collaborate with BJP. He also talked about shifting certain party members to the front while sidelining others. If Congress backs Kanhaiya Kumar, Allavaru, and Pappu Yadav, it would reflect this strategy.
RJD’s reaction to Pappu and Kanhaiya
RJD may not be happy about the increasing role of Pappu Yadav and Kanhaiya Kumar. Both have had conflicts with RJD in the past. Kanhaiya was frustrated by the RJD’s approach in 2019, while Pappu Yadav faced resistance from RJD in 2024 elections. In the Begusarai Parliamentary election, RJD fielded a candidate against Kanhaiya, and there were rumors that the RJD secretly helped the BJP candidate. Pappu Yadav wanted a Congress ticket to contest from Purnia, but RJD put up its own candidate and actively worked against him. Tejashwi Yadav even campaigned against Pappu, urging voters to defeat him. Given this history, the RJD may not accept the growing influence of Kanhaiya and Pappu.
Lalu’s dislike for Pappu and Kanhaiya
Pappu Yadav has openly said that Congress should act independently instead of following the RJD. This challenges RJD’s leadership within the Mahagathbandhan, which Tejashwi Yadav and other RJD leaders will not like. Tejashwi’s relationship with Kanhaiya has also been strained. In 2024, Kanhaiya attended a caste-based event in Patna where Tejashwi was supposed to be the chief guest. After learning about Kanhaiya’s presence, Tejashwi skipped the event.
Krishna and Kanhaiya to lead Bihar elections?
Congress appears to be preparing Krishna Allavaru and Kanhaiya Kumar to take charge of the Bihar Assembly elections. They may oversee candidate selection and ticket distribution. Allavaru’s recent actions in Bihar suggest that Congress will not accept fewer than the 70 seats it contested last time. If Congress replaces its state president, it could be due to Allavaru’s feedback.
Kanhaiya recently said if Congress does not get the respect it deserves within the Mahagathbandhan, it will contest all 243 seats. This has raised concerns within the RJD. Meanwhile, VIP leader Mukesh Sahni is demanding 60 seats, and CPI(ML) is seeking seats based on its past performance. CPI(ML) had won 12 out of 19 seats it contested last time.
