Rahul Gandhi in Patna to Join Kanhaiya Kumar’s Yatra, Boost Congress Cadre Ahead of Bihar Polls

PATNA:
Senior Congress leader and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi arrived in Patna on Monday, marking his third visit to Bihar in the past two months — a sign of the party’s renewed focus on the state.

With the political temperature rising ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress party is ramping up efforts to revive its organisational structure and energize its cadre in the state.

Soon after landing at Patna Airport, Gandhi proceeded to Begusarai to participate in the ‘Palayan Roko Padyatra’, a campaign led by party leader Kanhaiya Kumar that highlights pressing issues such as unemployment and labour migration.

According to party sources, Gandhi’s visit underscores the strategic importance the Congress assigns Bihar in the poll run-up. His itinerary includes public engagements, internal meetings, and strategic sessions aimed at galvanising party workers at the grassroots level.

Later in the day, he is scheduled to return to Patna to attend the Social Justice Conference at Sri Krishna Memorial Hall. Here, he is expected to deliver a speech focusing on secularism, social equity, and employment — themes central to the Congress campaign in Bihar.

One of the key elements of his visit will be a closed-door meeting at the Congress state headquarters in Sadaqat Ashram.

Gandhi is expected to hold in-depth discussions with state office-bearers, senior leaders, and district presidents from all 40 districts. Party insiders say he will assign responsibilities, assess preparedness, and offer strategic guidance to boost booth-level coordination and grassroots mobilization.

The visit comes in the wake of a major organisational reshuffle in Bihar, which saw the appointment of a new state president, state in-charge, and a revamped district leadership structure.

The Congress hopes these structural changes, coupled with Gandhi’s personal involvement, will help the party regain lost ground in the state.

Sources indicate that Gandhi views Bihar as a critical front in the broader strategy to strengthen the INDIA bloc against the NDA ahead of the 2025 elections.