Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to address his first rally in Bihar ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, seeking to pick up the threads for the opposition INDIA bloc which has been tattered with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s exit.

According to the Congress legislature party leader in Bihar, the rally will also be addressed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge who has also invited other leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc to share the stage. Youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who hails from the state’s Begusarai district and is known to stir the crowds with his oratory, will also be present.

Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached the Purnea district on the second day of the march in Bihar on Tuesday. The Yatra made an entry into Bihar through the Kishanganj district and made a night halt at adjoining Araria.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra enters Bihar day after Nitish Kumar’s U-turn

On Tuesday morning, the Congress scion interacted with the farmers in Purnea alongside Kanhaiya Kumar.

He said, “…I am not speaking empty words here. We had waived off the Rs 72,000 crores loan of farmers. We had brought the Land Acquisition Bill. When we had our governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, we gave the right price (of produce) to farmers. So, we have worked and we will work in the time to come…”

During the mega rally on Tuesday, the Congress’ oldest and most important ally in the state, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is likely to be represented. Bihar CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar was scheduled to attend earlier along with Lalu Prasad. But now the rally may see just the RJD founder and his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in attendance. Their participation, too, is not guaranteed as on Monday Lalu Prasad Yadav was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Patna and today, Tejashwi has been summoned and is currently at the ED office.

Also Read: Land-for-jobs ‘scam’: RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav appears before ED in Patna

Gandhi, who was last seen in Bihar last year to attend a meeting of parties opposed to the BJP hosted by Nitish Kumar, has so far refrained from launching into a direct criticism of the JD(U) president for his volte-face two days ago.

However, Rahul Gandhi’s close aide and Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had on Monday launched a blistering attack on Kumar, claiming his exit from the opposition INDIA bloc was “good riddance” which was causing many leaders of the opposition coalition to “heave a sigh of relief”.