Mallikarjun Kharge's Letter To Mamata Banerjee As Rahul Gandhi's Yatra Enters Bengal

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure the safety of all the people participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bhata Jodo Nyay Yatra'. The yatra, which started from Manipur and will end in Maharashtra, will enter Bengal next week.

"The yatra is passing through Bengal over the next few days. I have been made aware that some miscreants may foment trouble for the yatra. I am not sure if intention may be to show the state administration in bad light or disrupt the yatra," Mr Kharge wrote in a letter to Mamata Banerjee.

"I am writing to request you that you may kindly issue appropriate directions to ensure smooth passage of the yatra through Bengal and ensure safety of the yatris," he added.

Mr Kharge's letter to the Trinamool chief comes at a time when the Congress has been struggling to hold on to its allies within the INDIA bloc.

In Bihar, Nitish Kumar and his party Janata Dal (United) are likely to join hands with the BJP soon. JD(U) was one of the biggest parties within the Opposition alliance looking to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

BJP sources have told NDTV that the process of Nitish Kumar and his party JD(U) breaking away from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and officially aligning with the BJP is underway. Instead of Nitish Kumar stepping down, BJP eyes reshuffling the Bihar cabinet by replacing RJD ministers with its own MLAs.