In this episode of Capital Beat, political commentators Satish K. Singh and Ashok Mishra joined The Federal’s Neelu Vyas to decode the Congress party’s renewed push in Bihar through Rahul Gandhi’s back-to-back visits and the “Palayan Roko, Naukri Do” Yatra led by Kanhaiya Kumar. With the 2025 Assembly elections on the horizon, the panel analysed whether the Congress’s outreach is aimed at revival or merely bargaining for more seats in its alliance with the RJD.
Rahul’s Bihar push
Congress leader Rahul’s third visit to Bihar in as many months — this time to join the NSUI-led “Palayan Roko, Naukri Do” march in Begusarai — was interpreted by the panel as a high-stakes political signal. Singh highlighted that Rahul’s presence marked a clear attempt to establish electoral relevance and position Congress as a key player in any seat-sharing arrangement with the RJD.
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“The last time they contested 70 seats and won just 19. What matters now is not the number of seats but the winnability,” Singh asserted, underscoring that Congress needs to approach alliances with a results-oriented mindset.
However, he was critical of both the Congress and RJD for not attacking the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government with enough aggression, especially given the controversies surrounding the Chief Minister’s mental fitness and leadership capacity.
Yatra response and caste dynamics
Mishra said that the yatra, despite lasting only 30 minutes in Begusarai, attracted a sizable and youthful crowd. He viewed the campaign as an effort to reconnect with the party’s traditional vote bank of upper castes, Dalits, and Muslims.
Also read: Why new Bihar Congress leadership is ruffling old ally RJD
“Rajesh Ram, a Dalit leader, has been made Bihar Congress chief in an effort to regain lost ground. But upper castes still hesitate to vote for a party that aligns with Lalu Prasad,” Mishra said. He also noted that the Congress faces an uphill task in reviving its old base and re-establishing credibility.
Mishra warned that while Muslim voters are largely aligned with the Congress and RJD for now, challengers like Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj are attempting to disrupt this support by claiming that these voters have been consistently betrayed.
Seat-sharing and winnability
Both panellists emphasised that the Congress must prioritise winnable seats rather than simply bargaining for a higher number. Mishra elaborated on the historic seat-sharing pattern between the Congress and RJD, pointing out that the Congress was often given difficult or BJP-leaning seats.
“This time, Rahul Gandhi will need to ensure that the party negotiates seats based on caste calculations and grassroots strengths,” he said, pointing to eastern and southern Bihar as potential target regions.
Singh, however, voiced confusion over the Congress’s long-term intentions. “If they’re only looking to be a stronger ally to RJD, why this large-scale mobilisation? If they’re trying to stand alone, then Bihar is a tough starting point,” he said.
Rebuilding or just bargaining?
Vyas asked if Congress’s activism — padyatras, sammelans, youth-centric messaging — was a genuine revival or simply an attempt to position itself as an “A team” in the alliance. Singh replied, “This is not just confined to Bihar. If it were, it would be a bad choice. But if Bihar is the launchpad for a national revival, then it’s a good long-term bet.”
He added that the party has begun accepting its past errors, particularly around ignoring social justice narratives in the 1990s, and is now trying to correct course by focusing on OBCs, MBCs, Dalits, and Muslims.
Tejashwi vs Rahul?
The show concluded on an interesting note — whether Rahul’s assertive campaign could create insecurities within RJD’s leadership, especially Tejashwi Yadav. Singh dismissed this, stating that such analysis only plays into the NDA’s hands. Instead, he argued that the Congress’s rise may help consolidate Mahagathbandhan votes by neutralising the emerging influence of Kishor.
“This yatra may not win seats directly, but it weakens Kishor’s narrative. That alone could strengthen the opposition front in Bihar,” Singh said.
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