Is Priyanka Ready to Launch Congress' Campaign in Bihar with ‘Har Ghar Adhikar Rally’?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Priyanka Gandhi's rally is set to invigorate Congress in Bihar.
- The event will officially launch the Grand Alliance's election campaign.
- Congress aims to secure over 70 seats despite past electoral challenges.
- Negotiations with the RJD are critical for seat-sharing.
- The CWC meeting will set the tone for this political strategy.
Patna, Sep 22 (NationPress) In an effort to invigorate its base and assert a stronger position in the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections of 2025, the Congress party is gearing up for a notable entry into the political landscape of the state.Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a prominent party leader, is set to kick off her rally in Motihari, titled the “Har Ghar Adhikar Rally”.
Akhilesh Singh, the former state Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP, has stated that this rally will mark the official election launch for the Grand Alliance, with the specific date still pending.
This rally is anticipated to be Priyanka Gandhi’s first appearance in Bihar’s electoral contest and a significant demonstration of strength ahead of negotiations for seat-sharing with their allies.
Prior to the event in Motihari, Congress will convene a significant Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna on September 24, featuring key leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, K.C. Venugopal, and others.
The combination of the CWC meeting and the Motihari rally is viewed as a strategic move to exert pressure on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) during the finalization of the seat-sharing formula for the Grand Alliance.
According to Congress sources, the party is targeting over 70 seats, despite its lackluster performance in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, where it contested 70 seats but secured only 19.
The RJD, being the largest party in the coalition, is reportedly hesitant to concede as many seats this time, pointing to Congress's disappointing track record.
Additionally, the RJD is also faced with the challenge of accommodating other coalition partners, including Mukesh Sahani’s VIP, Pashupati Kumar Paras’s Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), and Hemant Soren's Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).
Furthermore, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav is keen on involving the Left parties -- especially the CPI-ML, which performed well in 2020 by winning 12 out of the 19 seats it contested.
The CPI and CPI-M also surpassed Congress in strike rate during the previous election.
On the matter of seat-sharing, Akhilesh Singh remarked that all issues have been clarified and that details will be disclosed in due time.
Addressing the internal disputes within the Lalu family, Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh stated: “We are quite familiar with Lalu's family. Once Lalu Prasad addresses them, everything will settle down.”