Bihar elections 2025: 56 days & counting - where is Rahul Gandhi?

NEW DELHI: When Rahul Gandhi acceptable retired nether Bihar's unforgiving August prima for his 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', it was a trial of whether helium could inactive find takers successful a onshore wherever the Congress survives mostly arsenic a fading afterimage. For 16 days, his run carved a noisy way done dusty highways and crowded colonies.Today, however, arsenic Bihar's predetermination vigor rises and the authorities readies for a two-phase assembly poll, the buzz is dominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fiery speeches, Amit Shah's rallies,

Tejashwi

Yadav's roadshows and Prashant Kishor's groundwork. Amid each this, 1 dependable remains missing - Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress leaders's past quality successful Bihar was astir 2 months ago, erstwhile helium wrapped up his yatra astatine Patna's Gandhi Maidan connected September 1.

The run was pitched arsenic a motivation crusade to "protect the vote" - an effort to awaken Bihar's electorate against what helium called 'vote chori' (theft of votes) by the ruling NDA.Over sixteen days, helium covered 1,300 km crossed 25 districts and 110 assembly constituencies - riding motorbikes, donning 'gamcha' for section appeal, visiting makhana farmers - often joined by allies similar Tejashwi Yadav, Hemant Soren and others.

But 2 months later, the communicative has shifted. Rahul, who had concisely stirred Congress's dormant basal done his yatra, seems to person mislaid the momentum. And alternatively of starring the complaint from the front, its person is missing successful action. When the Mahagathbandhan announced Tejashwi Yadav arsenic its main ministerial campaigner connected October 23, the property league banner carried lone 1 look - Tejashwi's. Rahul was missing, some connected signifier and successful spirit.

Within the alliance, the unspoken verdict seemed clear: helium whitethorn beryllium the look of absorption connected the nationalist level, but helium was nary longer its in-charge successful Bihar.Though determination has been nary authoritative seat-sharing arrangement, RJD is contesting 143 of the 243 seats of Bihar and Congress is contesting 61 seats.In the 2020 assembly elections, Congress had the worst onslaught complaint successful the absorption campy contempt Tejashwi's electrifying run that led RJD to look arsenic the largest azygous party.

Congress had contested 70 seats, the astir successful the absorption confederation aft the RJD (144), and could triumph lone 19.

Pizza breaks and argumentation speech abroad

Since his Patna rally, Rahul Gandhi has appeared successful nationalist lone 5 times - nary of them successful Bihar. In precocious September, helium was spotted astatine a pizza outlet successful Gurugram.In aboriginal October, helium travelled to Colombia, wherever helium declared that "India’s antiauthoritarian strategy is nether onslaught from each sides." During a speech astatine the University of Chile, helium lamented that "free and technological thinking" was nether "tremendous attack" successful India.On October 17, helium visited vocalist Zubeen Garg’s colony successful Assam to wage tributes. Three days later, helium was seen astatine a saccharine store successful Old Delhi, rolling laddoos for the cameras.Also Read: 5 tips Congress tin instrumentality from BJP’s pre-poll playbookCongress wide caput KC Venugopal, however, maintained that the party's "full-throttle campaign" volition statesman lone aft the Chhath festival. Rahul Gandhi, helium said, volition circuit Bihar connected October 29 and 30, followed by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and enactment president Mallikarjun Kharge.

A associated rally with Tejashwi is planned successful Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga.But volition this precocious introduction work? For the past month, portion PM Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda person flooded Bihar with rallies and Tejashwi has built affectional momentum crossed districts, Congress has remained successful governmental limbo.Rahul's lack has near enactment candidates and workers scrambling for visibility and credibility connected the ground. His re-entry, hardly a week earlier Phase 1 polling connected November 6, feels little similar a strategy and much similar irrelevance.For now, Congress is trying to marque up for his lack by circulating aged clips from the yatra, calling Rahul Gandhi the 'Jan Nayak' — the "hero of the people."

The situation wrong the camp

Adding to the drift is Congress's ain interior turmoil successful Bihar.Ticket organisation had triggered unfastened rebellion, with authorities leaders accusing AICC in-charge Krishna Allavaru of corruption and favouritism. Disgruntled members were seen protesting astatine the enactment headquarters.

Their slogan, "Ticket chor, gaddi chhodd," was an ironic echo of Rahul's ain "Vote chor, gaddi chhodd" taunt astatine the NDA government.

The dissent underscores the heavy disconnect betwixt the cardinal enactment and the section cadre, adjacent astatine the past limb of the predetermination campaign. In caller days, elder leaders similar Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel were parachuted successful to negociate the fallout, some wrong the enactment and with allies similar RJD.

Hemant Soren, who walked with Rahul successful Bihar successful a amusement of strength, yet walked retired and decided not to contention elections.

But done it all, Rahul has remained absent.

BJP's blitz

Meanwhile, BJP has turned Bihar into a run battlefield.Prime Minister Modi has led from the beforehand with rallies successful Samastipur and Begusarai, urging voters to present a "record-breaking victory." Home curate Amit Shah has addressed meetings successful Siwan and Buxar, portion BJP president JP Nadda has courted intellectuals successful Vaishali.

Uttar Pradesh main curate Yogi Adityanath has been roped successful to clasp implicit 20 rallies.The optics are unmistakable, a full-spectrum amusement of powerfulness and coordination.Rahul's partner, Tejashwi Yadav, has besides been a relentless beingness connected the ground, addressing aggregate rallies a day. When asked astir Rahul’s absence, helium sidesteps diplomatically, but the declaration remains excessively stark to miss.

The Chhath countdown

Even aft virtually nary beingness till now, Congress insists that its run volition yet displacement gears aft Chhath Puja (October 27).

The party’s manifesto, focusing connected societal justness and women's welfare, is scheduled for merchandise connected October 28. Rahul Gandhi's two-day blitz crossed Khagaria and Patna volition follow.His precocious introduction whitethorn good beryllium planned. But inquire immoderate governmental pundit and they volition archer you that successful immoderate election, beingness connected the crushed matters the most, and close now, that is obscurity to beryllium seen.So, conscionable 10 days earlier Bihar goes to the archetypal signifier of polling, the question is simple: Why truthful late, Rahul?