Patna, Jan 18 (IANS): Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that his party will contest the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections as part of the INDIA bloc.

Speaking at the Congress state headquarters, Sadakat Ashram, here, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha addressed party workers, urging them to prepare for a decisive battle against the BJP and RSS in the state.

"You are the lions and tigers of the Congress. Get ready to fight," Rahul Gandhi said.

He emphasised that the Congress' ideology runs deep in the veins of its workers.

"The ideology of the Congress party is in your blood, in your DNA. You fight for Congress 24 hours a day. You are not afraid of the BJP or RSS, and for this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said.

The Gandhi scion reaffirmed the Congress party’s commitment to fighting under the INDIA bloc's banner in the Bihar assembly elections. The statement of Rahul Gandhi came at a time when RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, had recently suggested that the INDIA alliance was focused only on the Lok Sabha elections.

"BJP and RSS have to be defeated in Bihar. We will defeat them by standing united with the INDIA alliance," Rahul Gandhi said, leaving no room for ambiguity about the INDIA bloc's role in the 2025 state elections.

The Congress MP also highlighted pressing issues plaguing Bihar, criticising the current state of governance.

He alleged that the education system in Bihar has been “completely sold out", depriving young people of the opportunity to secure jobs.

"Youth cannot get employment in Bihar. Inflation is skyrocketing, and poor people are being crushed," he remarked, signaling a focus on addressing economic and social challenges.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is currently leading a coalition government in Bihar with Janata Dal-United and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) being the key constituents.