Nitish's Nalanda: A Favourite 'Ground’ For Opposition Leaders

Patna: There seems no end to the problems of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi when it comes to organising his programme in Bihar as after Darbhanga, the district administration of Nalanda has refused to provide him a venue in Rajgir in Nalanda district. 

Congress leader was scheduled to address a party-sponsored Extremely Backward Castes (EBC) conference in Rajgir on May 27.

Although he had defied Darbhanga district administration`s order and held his programme and addressed Dalit students at Ambedkar Hostel on May 15,  Congress has postponed his programme in Nalanda this time. The district administration`s refusal to provide him a venue for holding the programme in Rajgir must be very disappointing as his party colleagues must have selected the venue of the EBC conference in Nalanda district by giving a deep thought into it as both Nalanda and EBCs have special significance for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.  

While Nalanda is Nitish`s native district, the JD (U) leader has assiduously cultivated the constituency of EBCs to improve his electoral clout in the state.

Sources claim that Rahul will visit Bihar in the second week of June. He has already visited Bihar four times in five months.

Rahul was scheduled to address students from backward and extremely backward castes under 'Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan' in Rajgir on May 27. A member of    the event`s organising committee, Manjeet Anand Sahu, said Rajgir`s Convention Centre (the venue for Rahul`s programme) is not available for the event in May.  

Earlier, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor`s programme to launch his signature campaign to take feedback from residents of Kalyanbigha village (native  place of Nitish) in Nalanda district failed as the district administration refused permission to him. Kishor addressed a public meeting in Biharsharif, the district headquarters of Nalanda, later. 

Despite all odds, no one can miss the point that Nalanda has emerged as a favourite venue for the opposition leaders to hold their programmes. It will not surprise anybody if RJD leader Tejashwi also travels to Nalanda to launch a blistering attack on his ‘chacha’ Nitish from the latter`s home turf before the assembly polls due in October-November.