AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru said the Congress was fighting “the second war of independence” in Bihar
New Delhi: Opposition activities have intensified in Bihar this week, as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi are all set to hold a meeting in Patna on Wednesday to finalise its Bihar strategy. Reports indicated the Congress could possibly fight in a lesser number of seats to accommodate its INDIA bloc allies. AICC Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru said the Congress was fighting “the second war of independence” in Bihar. He said at a press conference that this was why the party had decided to hold a Congress Working Committee meeting in Patna on September 24.
“At the CWC meeting, we will be having AICC president Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. All other CWC members have also been invited. The chief ministers of Congress-ruled states are also expected,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that the ruling BJP at the Centre was involved in “vote theft”, and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “like a student who does not study hard, but takes recourse to unfair means for doing well in the examinations”.
Asserting that Bihar, where Mr Gandhi recently took out an over 1,300-km “Voter Adhikar Yatra”, had become “the centre of national politics”, Mr Allavaru said: “We are fighting the second war of independence in the state, a reason why the CWC meeting is being held here (Patna)”.
In reply to a media question, he said: “Talks on seat-sharing are being held on a positive note in the INDIA bloc, and we will soon come out with a viable formula. On the other hand, we find the BJP-led NDA is in disarray.”
Asked whether RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will be named as the chief ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc with a stamp of approval from the Congress, Mr Allavaru said: “At an appropriate time, all alliance partners will sit together and decide”.
Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar said: “It is a historic moment for us that Sadaqat Ashram, where people like Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru have held deliberations, is getting a chance to host the CWC meeting”. He also touched upon the historical importance of Sadaqat Ashram, “constructed on 20 acres of land” donated by renowned freedom fighter Maulana Mazahrul Haq. The Bihar Legislative Assembly polls are due to be held later this year.
