Churn in Bihar politics? Kanhaiya Kumar likely to join Congress after meeting Rahul Gandhi

In a development that could have a crucial impact on Bihar politics, former student leader and CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar is likely to join Congress very soon. Kumar first garnered national attention when he was arrested by the Delhi Police in February 2016 for allegedly raising seditious slogans on the JNU campus. He was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on March 2, 2016, a Delhi government-appointed magisterial probe did not find any evidence against him either. Earlier this year, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma took cognizance of Delhi Police's charge sheet against him and other accused.

A member of the National Executive Council of the CPI, he lost to BJP candidate and Union Minister Giriraj Singh in the 2019 General Election by a margin of 4,22,217 votes. As per a report, Kumar met former Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently where his role in the party was discussed. This is being perceived as a move to attract the young voters and revitalise Congress' fortunes in Bihar, where it doesn't have a sizeable now. However, speculation is rife that its ally RJD has not taken kindly to the move. 

The political situation in Bihar

The 2020 Bihar Assembly election witnessed a voter turnout of 57.05% as against that of 56.66% in the 2015 polls. The polls turned out to be a nail-biting contest with NDA emerging victorious in 125 seats as against that of 110 seats won by the Mahagatbandhan. BJP, RJD, JD(U), Congress won 74, 75, 43, and 19 seats respectively.

BJP winning more seats than JD(U) for the first time in a Bihar Assembly election led to the speculation that JD(U)'s clout in the alliance will reduce. LJP, who lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and targeted Nitish Kumar throughout the election campaign, is believed to have damaged JD(U)'s prospects in 32 seats despite bagging a solitary seat. While Kumar again took oath as the CM of Bihar, BJP has two Deputy CMs in 4-time MLAs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi.

After Chirag Paswan was sidelined by BJP which preferred to induct his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras into the Union Cabinet, speculation is rife that RJD has reached out to him. While RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav openly urged Paswan to ally with his party, the LJP president is yet to take a decision regarding the same. Meanwhile, BJP and JD(U) continue to spar on a number of issues such as the caste census. 

(With ANI inputs)