Congress to launch Bihar poll campaign after Chhath; Rahul to lead

Venugopal, the Congress national general secretary, said that other party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and national president Mallikarjun Kharge, will also campaign in the state

The Congress's poll campaign in Bihar will kick off soon after Chhath Puja with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi canvassing for the INDIA bloc, senior party leader KC Venugopal said on Sunday.

Venugopal, the Congress national general secretary (organisation), said that other party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and national president Mallikarjun Kharge, will also campaign in the state, where the Voter Adhikar Yatra in August gave the party the much-needed momentum.

"Our campaign will kick off soon after Chhath Puja. I think Rahul Gandhi will be here on October 29 and 30. Tours of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge are also on the cards," he told PTI video.

Venugopal, who is a close aide of Gandhi, is among a number of senior Congress leaders who are camping in the poll-bound state to fine-tune the party's strategy, besides diffusing the crisis in its rank and file, which has come to the fore with many workers alleging that tickets were "put up for sale".

When former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was asked about the scenario, he told reporters, "In every election, there are many who aspire for a ticket and get angry when their hopes are dashed. But I would appeal to all of them not to air their grievances till the elections are over."  "The elections in Bihar are not an ordinary affair. These are being watched by the entire nation, which wants the arrogant BJP-led NDA to be defeated... I would urge the party workers to realise that they are on the cusp of scripting history," he said.

The veteran leader said naming RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the INDIA bloc's CM candidate has sent a positive signal.

"A young politician always has the passion to work hard, realising that if he does not live up to the expectations of the people, he would be spoiling his career," he said.

Training his guns at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president, Gehlot alleged, "He has sullied his reputation by making too many political about turns. At the fag end of his political career, he should reflect on the depths to which he has plunged. Once, he was seen fit to be the PM of the country. Now the people of Bihar are tired of him. They want to vote for a change."  He also charged the BJP of having "looted the people", citing the example of electoral bonds, of which it was the biggest beneficiary, until the Supreme Court declared these as "unconstitutional".

"But, regrettably, the money they had realised through electoral bonds remains with them. They use this during elections to bribe voters. Opposition leaders get ED and CBI notices for transactions for a crore or two, but the BJP is able to spend millions with impunity," alleged Gehlot.

"Even the recently launched scheme in Bihar, under which Rs 10,000 were transferred into accounts of 1 crore women, days before elections were announced, was nothing but an attempt to purchase votes. But the people have seen through the game," claimed the senior Congress leader.