CPI leader and former JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar has met Rahul Gandhi, ostensibly to prepare ground for his entry into the Congress, which has suffered desertion by many young leaders in the past two years. Sources said Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani too is in touch with the Congress leadership. The Congress had helped Mewani in the last Assembly elections by not fielding a candidate from the Vadgam seat in north Gujarat.

Kumar, sources close to him said, was feeling suffocated in the CPI. He met Rahul on Tuesday and the two are learnt to have discussed his entry into the Congress. When asked about Kumar’s possible exit, CPI general secretary D Raja said he has only heard speculation. “I can only say that he was present at the national executive meeting of our party earlier this month. He spoke and participated in the deliberations,” Raja said.

While Kumar did not respond to calls, sources in the Congress said he is keen to play a key role in Bihar politics. The party had been in political wilderness in Bihar for the past three decades. Even in last year’s Assembly elections, it performed badly when compared to allies RJD and CPI(ML).

Sources said the Congress believes that the entry of Kumar and Mewani will give it a boost, at least optics wise, since one of the narratives regarding the party in the past two years has been of young leaders — among them Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sushmita Dev, Jitin Prasada and Priyanka Chaturvedi — leaving the party.

(With inputs from agencies)