NEW DELHI: As Congress licks its wounds after the collapse of the grand alliance with the JD (U) and RJD in Bihar, yet another tale of mismanagement by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has come to light.

Gandhi and his advisors were clueless about the extent to which chief minister Nitish Kumar could go to sever ties with the RJD, people familiar with the matter said. Gandhi handled the situation as he has been doing over the past few months maintaining a studied silence over the issue and staying aloof from the complicated political situation.

Despite the public wrangling between Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Gandhi waited till the weekend to intervene. Even then, he remained a passive bystander rather than an active and anxious leader willing to go the extra mile to save an alliance he helped forge.

Gandhi met former education minister and his state unit chief Ashok Chaudhary after making him wait for three days at the peak of Bihar crisis, said one of the persons, who did not wish to be identified. This is not the first time Gandhi has employed a hands-off approach. Last week, a similar story had unfolded in Gujarat. Senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela quit the party after several warnings. Vaghela, too, had not been given an audience by Gandhi.

He had camped in the capital for about five days but Gandhi refused to meet him. A similar charge had been levelled by former Congressman Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam. When he joined the BJP in 2015 and helped deliver the state to the saffron party he had singularly blamed Gandhis attitude for his step.

The crisis has once again cast a shadow on Gandhis ascension plan. Technically, the new party president has to take over in October after organisational elections. However, the party seems to be looking for an opportune moment for Gandhi to take over.

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Bihar fiasco may hit Rahul Gandhi's ascension plans - Economic Times