Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is intensifying his political outreach in Bihar ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, aiming to reclaim lost ground. In his latest move, Rahul is set to visit the strongholds of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi — Nalanda and Gaya respectively — in a bid to influence the Dalit and extremely backward caste voters.

Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar strategy involves engaging with marginalized communities. His visit to Gehlaur village in Gaya, home of the late Dashrath Manjhi, the iconic “mountain man,” holds significant political symbolism. By paying tribute to Dashrath Manjhi and interacting with his family, Rahul hopes to connect with the Musahar community, a crucial Mahadalit group in Bihar.

The Musahar community, with a population of nearly 3 to 4 percent in Bihar, forms the core support base of Jitan Ram Manjhi. It is widely believed that Rahul Gandhi is attempting to erode this support. The Congress had earlier inducted Dashrath Manjhi’s son into the party, signaling deeper political intentions. During his Gaya visit, Rahul will also interact with women as part of a Mahila Samvad (women’s dialogue) program, where he is expected to make announcements focused on women's welfare.

Congress is eyeing a broader Dalit-EBC-Muslim coalition. The appointment of leaders from marginalized communities like Rajesh Ram (from Ravidas community) as state president and Sushil Pasi (from Pasi community) as co-incharge of Bihar reflects the party's renewed social engineering strategy. The party believes this vote bank can pave the way for political resurgence in the state.

After his Gaya visit, Rahul Gandhi will travel to Rajgir in Nalanda district, considered the heartland of Nitish Kumar’s political influence. Here, he will attend the Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan organized by the Congress. Rahul’s interaction with backward class students and youth in Nalanda is seen as an attempt to breach JDU's traditional vote base of OBCs and EBCs.

Congress has chosen Nalanda, symbolic of Nitish Kumar’s political legacy, to sharpen its narrative of social justice and reach out to extremely backward classes. The Constitution-themed conference is strategically aimed at reinforcing Rahul Gandhi’s commitment to constitutional rights and uplifting marginalized groups.