PATNA: In a significant development ahead of Bihar assembly election, Congress appointed a Dalit leader, Rajesh Kumar as president of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC), replacing Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who was holding the post since 2022.A decision to hand over the baton to Rajesh Kumar, a two term MLA from Kutumba in Aurangabad district, was taken at a meeting of party’s general secretaries and in-charge of states, presided over by president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting. Rajesh Kumar’s appointment as the new Bihar president is seen as the party’s new strategy for the upcoming assembly elections due in October-November this year. A senior Congress leader said, “The party wants to focus on Dalit votes in the upcoming assembly election in the state.” The leader on the condition of anonymity revealed that Akhilesh Prasad Singh comes from Upper Caste Bhumihar, a dominant caste in Bihar while Rajesh Kumar is a non-controversial face and belonged to the Scheduled Caste, which constitutes about 19.65 per cent of the state’s population. Moreover, Congress has already roped in a young leader Kanhaiya Kumar, also a Bhumihar, in Bihar politics.
Source link
