The first phase of the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' in West Bengal concluded on Monday as it crossed into Bihar from Islampur, with plans to resume its journey in the state on January 31.

The Congress yatra has exposed internal rifts within opposition bloc INDIA in West Bengal, with the TMC, which has opted to contest the Lok Sabha elections independently, abstaining and the Left extending support.

The yatra after a night halt in Siliguri travelled to Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur before moving to Islampur and finally entering Bihar.

Party supporters and enthusiasts were seen greeting the Congress leader who was in a vehicle with a tight security cordon around the convoy.

The yatra, which commenced in Manipur on January 14, entered West Bengal from Assam on Thursday morning, with a brief hiatus as Gandhi returned to New Delhi.

The journey through North Bengal, once a Congress stronghold, witnessed enthusiastic receptions as Gandhi interacted with locals along the route.

Divided into two legs, the Bengal segment of the yatra concluded its first phase on Monday morning upon entry into Bihar. It is slated to resume in West Bengal on January 31 via Malda, proceeding through Murshidabad before exiting the state on February 2.

Covering 523km across six districts so far, the yatra has traversed Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Uttar Dinajpur, with Malda and Murshidabad slated for the second phase.

Despite the evident strain within the alliance in Bengal, Gandhi remained optimistic about the unity of the opposition bloc. He appealed to "Bengal and Bengalis to spearhead the fight against the injustice prevailing in the country." Encountering obstacles akin to those faced in BJP-ruled states like Assam and Manipur, the Congress encountered challenges in securing permissions for public meetings and lodging arrangements in Jalpaiguri, Malda, and Murshidabad districts of TMC-ruled Bengal, still its ally at the national level.

Despite the extensive media coverage, the yatra's vigour diminished after TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee announced her intention to contest the state's Lok Sabha elections independently.

Banerjee's decision, coupled with criticism of the Congress for inadequate communication regarding the yatra, significantly dampened the enthusiasm surrounding it.

Banerjee accused the Congress of not extending the courtesy to inform her, despite being an ally at the national level.

Efforts to mollify Banerjee, with Congress acknowledging her pivotal role in the opposition coalition, failed to sway TMC's stance, which remained critical of the yatra.

However, the CPI(M) participated in Siliguri despite initial reluctance as it was averse to sharing the stage with the TMC, which had ended its 34-year-old rule in 2011.

While the CPI(M), Congress, and TMC form part of the 27-party opposition bloc, in Bengal, the former two have aligned against TMC and BJP.

Despite overtures from the Congress, including a call from party president Mallikarjun Kharge to the chief minister, relations between the two parties remained strained.

Speaking to the media in Cooch Behar on Wednesday, Gandhi expressed confidence in the bloc's commitment to collectively combat the saffron camp.

Stressing the importance of Bengal and Bengalis taking the forefront in addressing injustice, fostering unity, and combating hatred, Gandhi on Sunday remarked, "If we fail to seize this moment, it will be remembered. This isn't about any individual; it's about Bengal leading the charge and setting an example." Gandhi's call for Bengal's leadership in the fight against injustice coincides with a challenging period for the opposition bloc, following the defection of JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar to the BJP-led NDA in neighbouring Bihar.

Though Gandhi avoided explicitly mentioning any political party, his remarks prompted a response from the TMC.

According to TMC spokesperson Santanu Sen, "Mamata Banerjee halted the BJP's momentum in the 2021 assembly polls and played a significant role in forming the opposition coalition. However, it was the Bengal Congress leadership that compromised with the saffron camp in the state." In a bid to strengthen unity, Congress seeks Banerjee's participation during the yatra's second leg in Malda and Murshidabad, coinciding with her administrative commitments in Malda.

Political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty noted the yatra's role in exposing rifts within the opposition in Bengal.

"It has exposed divisions within the opposition in West Bengal and highlighted the importance of Mamata Banerjee after Nitish Kumar's return to the NDA," he said.

The yatra is scheduled to travel 6,713 km over 67 days, traversing 110 districts across 15 states before concluding in Mumbai on March 20 or 21.

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