On the second day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Bihar, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi broke his silence on JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar, saying that his return to the BJP-led NDA was prompted by the fact that he did not want to carry out a caste survey. Claiming that as allies, they had forced the Chief Minister’s hand, Rahul said “we don’t need Nitish Kumar”.

Two days after Nitish’s U-turn to the NDA on Sunday dealt a body blow to the Opposition’s INDIA alliance, Rahul said at the Mahagathbandhan mega rally here in Bihar: “Hum aapko samjhaate hain Nitishji kahan fanse (I will explain to you how Nitishji got trapped). We told him that you have to do a caste survey, we can’t let you off on that. He was forced to do the caste survey. Then he came under pressure from the other side because the BJP did not want a caste count. Nitishji beech mein fans gaye (Nitishji got caught in the middle). Then the BJP showed him a way and he went there. This (a caste census) is our responsibility, and we will implement it.”

The Congress leader added that it was clear now that, apply a little pressure, and “Nitish makes a U-turn”. The caste survey confirmed the Yadavs as the largest single group in Bihar, and EBCs as the largest social constituency, in what was seen as a boost to both the RJD and JD(U)’s political planks.

The Congress, RJD and Left put up a show of strength at Purnea, which was held as part of Rahul’s Yatra. The ground was packed with supporters of the three parties, though both RJD leader Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav had to skip the meeting due to appearance before the Enforcement Directorate. The RJD was represented by its MP Ashfaq Karim.

While Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was also expected to attend, he could not make it in time and a recorded speech of his was played. Apart from Rahul, the Congress leaders present included former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Jairam Ramesh, Kanhaiya Kumar, Imran Pratapgarhi, as well as state unit leaders Akhilesh Singh, Tariq Anwar, Shakeel Ahmed and Ranjita Ranjan.

Among the Left leaders, CPI (M-L) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, whose party has a good presence in Bihar, was among the senior-most names.

While Kharge and Ramesh had flayed Nitish after he left the INDIA alliance, bringing down the Mahagathbandhan government and, hours later, returning as CM heading an NDA government, Rahul had so far not spoken on the issue, including when his Yatra entered Bihar through Kishanganj.

While attacking Nitish, Rahul repeated a joke that had gone viral on social media after the JD(U) leader’s latest flip-flop, saying Akhilesh Singh had told it to Baghel, who had recounted it to him. “Your CM (Nitish Kumar) went to be sworn in as Chief Minister. There were BJP leaders, the Governor… He got sworn in, two-three ministers also took oath, and he left for the Chief Minister’s residence. On the way, he realised he had left behind his shawl at the Governor’s office… He asked his driver to make a U-turn and knocked at the Governor’s door. The Governor opened the door, and said: ‘Aap is baar itni jaldi aa gaye (You have already returned this time)!’,” Rahul said.

Speaking about “economic rights” of farmers, Rahul pointed to the garland of makhanas (fox nuts) placed around his neck, and said: “This garland has at least 10 kg makhanas. I saw on the Internet just now that in the US, 10 kg makhanas are priced at Rs 1.5 lakh. But our farmers get Rs 250. They should get at least Rs 3,000-4,000 per kg. This is arthik nyay (economic justice). We are also fighting for this.”

In his speech, Bhattacharya said: “Every day, our Constitution is being attacked. We have to stay together and fight against this.” Going on to talk about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: “The President should have inaugurated the new Parliament building but the BJP brought sadhu sants there, and the PM inaugurated it, like a king. The Ram Mandir is a religious issue, and hence a person’s private matter, but the BJP made it political, and the PM inaugurated it as part of its political propaganda.”

In his speech that was played at the meeting, Kharge said: “Bihar used to show the political way to the country, but now it has come to be known for ‘Aya Ram, Gaya Ram (frequent defectors)’. He (Nitish) has played with the respect of Bihar.”

Kharge claimed the Congress was in a “stronger position” than in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “The BJP is afraid and is sending Enforcement Directorate, CBI, Income Tax teams after Laluji and his family… We have to teach them a lesson.”

However, in West Bengal, where Rahul is headed next, the Congress and Trinamool Congress troubles seem far from over. On Tuesday, Congress West Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who has been accused by the TMC of straining the ties between the two parties, again attacked the TMC, accusing it of “creating hurdles” in the Rahul Yatra’s way in Bengal and vowing to continue raising corruption issues.

On Wednesday, the Yatra will enter Bengal again, via Malda. The TMC has made it clear that it won’t be joining the march, and its chief Mamata Banerjee will instead be on her separate tour of the area around the same time, as part of a visit to northern districts.

A day after the TMC questioned the Congress’s silence over the various probes against its leaders by Central agencies, Chowdhury seemed to hit out at this too, saying: “If there is theft in West Bengal, shall I say it is not happening?… Can’t we call people involved in corruption corrupt,” Chowdhuy told mediapersons in Murshidabad.

He also asked why Rahul was not being allowed to stay or hold rallies where he wanted in West Bengal.

– with inputs from ENS, Kolkata