By calling Rahul Gandhi ‘Jannayak,’ Congress taps into Bihar’s deep emotional bond with the title that defined leaders of mass movements in the past.BY PC Bureau
August 17 — The Indian National Congress is seeking to project Rahul Gandhi as a modern-day Jannayak (People’s Leader) in Bihar—a title long associated with Jayaprakash Narayan and Karpoori Thakur, whose legacies still loom large in the state’s political memory.
Social Media Signals the Framing
- The Congress’s official X handle (@INCIndia) has shared a poster of Rahul Gandhi with the label “Jannayak,” announcing his upcoming visit to Bihar.
- The party also shared a post four hours ago, in which Rahul Gandhi gas once again projected as Jannayak.
- “Jan Nayak Rahul Gandhi in Bihar from 17th August — walking with you step by step, fighting shoulder to shoulder for your right to vote…” read one post put out by several Congress supporter. .
- Another post on Instagram proclaimed: “Leader of Opposition. Jan Nayak Rahul Gandhi ❤️.”
These social media signals go beyond promotional sloganeering. They seek to symbolically link Rahul Gandhi with the revered icons of Bihar’s past, channeling the emotional resonance of the Jannayak title into today’s political mobilization.
जननायक ❤️ pic.twitter.com/31ah3PdOnI
— Congress (@INCIndia) August 17, 2025
Why Bihar and Why Jannayak?
The choice of Bihar is no accident. The Jannayak title still carries emotional heft in the state, signifying leaders who defied entrenched power and stood with the people. Jayaprakash Narayan, who spearheaded the 1974–75 Bihar Movement against authoritarianism, and Karpoori Thakur, hailed as the Jannayak of the backward classes, remain deeply etched in Bihar’s collective memory as champions of democracy and social justice.
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Political observers note that Congress is deliberately tapping into this sentiment, equating Rahul Gandhi’s campaign against unemployment, inequality, and alleged electoral irregularities with the moral and political struggles once waged by JP and Karpoori.
The Yatra and Its Symbolism
The yatra, launched on August 17, is aimed at highlighting alleged voter disenfranchisement and mobilizing awareness around voting rights in poll-bound Bihar. By invoking the Jannayak identity, Congress is attempting to frame the march not as a routine political exercise but as part of a historic continuum of grassroots uprisings.
By tying Rahul Gandhi’s campaign to the memory of JP’s anti-Emergency movement and Karpoori Thakur’s fight for social justice, Congress is positioning him as more than a party leader — as a national figure embodying the same spirit of resistance and empowerment.
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Whether this framing resonates with Bihar’s voters remains to be seen. But the symbolism is clear: Congress is reaching into history to script a political future, betting that the enduring appeal of the Jannayak will give Rahul Gandhi’s campaign both emotional and electoral traction. It is another matter that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had jailed JP and imposed the Emergency to crush his “Total Revolution” (Sampoorna Kranti) movement.
