During a protest in Patna against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Purnia MP Pappu Yadav were prevented from boarding an open van with Rahul Gandhi and other senior politicians. The incident occurred during the INDIA bloc’s ‘Bihar Bandh’ demonstration, which saw leaders initially marching on foot before transitioning to a van due to the growing crowd size. Videos capturing the moment when both Mr. Kumar and Mr. Yadav were stopped by security personnel have been widely circulated, sparking discussions about internal dynamics within the opposition alliance.

The protest, led by Rahul Gandhi, included prominent figures such as RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and Vikassheel Insaan Party chief Mukesh Sahani. The rally aimed to highlight opposition to the electoral roll revisions and moved from the Income Tax roundabout to the Election Commission office. Despite the presence of several leaders, only Mr. Kumar and Mr. Yadav faced restrictions when attempting to board the van.

The reasons behind their exclusion remain unclear, but the incident has drawn criticism from the JDU-led ruling alliance in Bihar. They argue that it reflects poorly on how Congress treats its allies within the INDIA bloc. This event has added fuel to ongoing political tensions in Bihar, where alliances are crucial ahead of upcoming elections.

Kanhaiya Kumar, a native of Bihar, previously contested the North East Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha elections but was defeated by BJP’s Manoj Tiwari. Meanwhile, Pappu Yadav, also known as Rajesh Ranjan, merged his Jan Adhikar Party with Congress but ran as an Independent from Purnia after seat-sharing talks allocated his constituency to RJD. His wife, Ranjeet Ranjan, serves as a Rajya Sabha MP for Congress.