[1]The Congress, having unexpectedly lost much of its lustre in poll-bound Bihar due to a string of violent protests over ticket distribution, hopes to halt the ongoing war of populist rhetoric between the ruling NDA and the RJD-LJP by Mr Rahul Gandhi’s election campaigns scheduled on Thursday.
In three public meetings he would address the same day, the Congress general secretary and youth icon is expected to show the same aggressiveness towards both the Nitish Kumar government and the RJD-LJP alliance as he had shown during his two brief public addresses in Saharsa and Samastipur on September 4. Mr Gandhi would address three public meetings in Supaul, Araria and Purnea — places reportedly selected for their great strategic advantage for the national party in its ambitious electoral foray into Bihar.
With the destruction wrought by the Kosi floods in 2008, the three districts still harbour bitterness against the Nitish Kumar government for the embankment breach that caused the floods, the relief and rehabilitation that followed and the chronic poverty in the whole region.
Most importantly, since the three districts also form part of Bihar’s Muslim belt, Congress leaders believe they would be the most suitable for Mr Gandhi to counter efforts by the state’s major parties to woo the Muslim voters from there.
While the RJD-LJP’s election manifesto has made several populist promises aimed specifically at Bihar’s Muslim voters, the ruling NDA has been projecting itself as the best promoter of the interests of the state’s minorities.
Mr Rahul Gandhi is expected to dwell upon the minority issue in his speeches.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/ind1jpg-131