The Congress has felt compelled to invoke the “very cordial relations” the Gandhi family has with Mamata Banerjee to seek a safe passage for the Nyay Yatra through Bengal, betraying serious strains in the relationship despite being together in the Opposition grouping INDIA.

While the expectation initially was to celebrate the unity of purpose with the participation of INDIA partners in Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra, the reality is that the Congress has had to plead to avert conflict.

While Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has spoiled the mood by defecting, the Bengal chief minister’s unfriendly vibes have deepened the gloom.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not only wrote a letter to Mamata, he followed it up with a detailed discussion with her over the phone to ensure that unforeseen troubles did not erupt.

His letter said: “Now the yatra is passing through Bengal over the next few days. I have been made aware that again 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 to disrupt the yatra.”

He added: “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, including Rahul Gandhi. I am aware that the Gandhi family and you share very cordial relations, and you would ensure that all security concerns would be addressed adequately. However, I thought it would be best if I personally write to you requesting for the same.”

The Yatra had a terrible experience in Assam where BJP chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma spared no pains to create hurdles and even slapped cases on Congress leaders, including Rahul. The Yatra was attacked at several places. Later, as the Yatra entered Bengal, there was an attempt to give Rahul a message through posters put up in Cooch Behar that said Mamata alone was enough for the state and that he was not welcome.

The apprehensions in the Congress’s mind were reflected when party communications chief Jairam Ramesh repeatedly stressed that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Kharge had high respect for Mamata and that she was driven by her commitment to fight the BJP.

Ramesh said: “Khargeji has spoken with Mamataji. He invited her to join the Yatra. We will feel privileged to welcome her to the Yatra. Stray comments are made here and there, but we know Mamata is very critical to the fight against the BJP.”

Ramesh tried to explain the state-level frictions, recalling how the Congress and the Left fought bitterly in Kerala but remained partners in INDIA.

He said: “We fight against some INDIA allies in some states. Hot words are exchanged every day, rather every minute, between the Left and the Congress in Kerala. But the Left is part of the INDIA alliance. We may have problems at the state level. But this alliance has been put together with a national objective. One of the architects of this alliance is the Bihar chief minister. Co-architect is the Bengal chief minister. The national objective will get priority.”

Ramesh took care to humour the Trinamul chief by saying: “Whatever Mamata has said so far, she ended by saying her priority is to fight the BJP. She has never wavered. The Congress and Mamata have the same objective — to defeat Modi.”

Ramesh said there was no change to the schedule of the Nyay Yatra, and that the two-day break on January 26 and 27 had been pre-decided.

“Tomorrow at 2pm, the Yatra will resume in Jalpaiguri with a padyatra. We wanted to start at noon, but there were some issues. Examinations are going on in some places, and there is a high court order. But those issues can be resolved through dialogue," he said.

"Then we move to Siliguri where Rahul Gandhi will address a public meeting. We will have a night halt at Uttar Dinajpur. The day after, we will enter Bihar through Araria and move through Purnea and Kishanganj. On January 30 night, we will again enter Bengal. The Yatra will move through Malda, Murshidabad and Birbhum to enter Jharkhand.”