The Congress reacted sharply to the Mahagathbandhan’s heavy defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections, with Rahul Gandhi alleging that the contest “was not fair from the beginning.” In a post on X, he thanked voters who supported the alliance but said the outcome was surprising and required a serious internal review. Gandhi added that the Opposition would continue its fight to “protect the Constitution and democracy,” asserting that the INDIA bloc would now strengthen its future strategy.
The NDA swept the elections with 202 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan could secure only 35. The RJD won 23 seats and led in two, while the Congress managed just six—its weakest performance in Bihar in over a decade.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera intensified criticism, claiming early trends showed that “Gyanesh Kumar succeeded against the people of Bihar,” suggesting that the election process was compromised. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party respects the mandate but will keep fighting forces “misusing institutions.” He called on workers to stay motivated and uphold democratic values.
Senior leaders expressed disappointment as well. Shashi Tharoor termed the results “seriously disappointing” and demanded a detailed examination of organisational gaps. Jairam Ramesh alleged “vote theft on a massive scale” and vowed that the party would escalate its campaign to defend democracy.
Internal dissatisfaction also emerged. Mumtaz Patel criticised centralised decision-making within the party, while former minister Shakeel Ahmad pointed to ticket distribution lapses and said AIMIM outperforming the Congress in several seats was a warning sign.
