Picture : @INCIndia/X
While the NDA with BJP JD(U) Nitish Kumar and their allies powered their way to a record landlside win in the Bihar elections 2025, the biggest loser was the GOP of Indian politics the Congress . Contesting 61 seats , the party a part of the MGB won a dismal 6 seats . What would hurt the party from the results is that the likes of AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi winning 5 seats . And rubbing more salt into the Congress wounds would be Union Minister Chirag Paswan whose LJP ( Ram Vilas) party won an astounding 19/ 20 seats out of the 29 seats it has contested . The figures of AIMIM and LJP( Ram Vilas) tells you the performance of India’s oldest party the Congress.
So what really went wrong? There are various reasons . In the run- up to the polls Rahul Gandhi took out the Voter Adhikar Yatra along with Tejashwi Yadav and which drew large crowds . It created a buzz which some media reports suggested could have an impact in the forthcoming polls later on . But after the initial buzz the yatra fizzled out by the time the election dates were announced . Rahul Gandhwi abroad and the mometum was lost.
Then Rahul Gandhi took on the ECI with the Vote chori allegations in Haryana . But Vote chori did not enthuse the public as Congress had anticipated. Ironically , Tejashwi Yadav stayed away from making any statement on Vote chori prefering to bank on local issues . Clearly suggesting there was simply no coordination among the MGB regarding the issues to be raised. MGB took on the ECI over the tricky SIR process . The alliance alleged SIR had struck off several voters during the process and do a favour to the BJP .
While Rahul Gandhi’s vote chori charge failed to strike a chord the constant reminding the people of the Jungle Raj under Lalu By NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi 24X7 at various rallies across the state and by party spoikespersons in news channels ensured RJD’s disastrous showing as it lost 50 seats from last time .
While RJD after loss admitted that in politics defeats happen and one will learn from the mistakes and attempt to bounce back next time. The Congress, on the other hand was audacious enough not to admit it’s flaws during the campaign but put the blame on the doors of The ECI and the contentious issue of SIR for the rout .
On the hindsight , Congress may have issues the way the ECI ran the polls and the SIR process that let to deletion of several voters. These are valid topics that needs to be debated and raised. But that does not cover up for the failure of the Congress leadership to find good candidates in state elections.
No state leadership , organisation meant party workers morale were at the lowest ebb. What was more surprising was the Congress choice of observers for Bihar Polls – Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, and Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel. How could the duo who could not win their respective states as Chief Minister’s inspire the laggard Bihar Unit to win ? Impossible . The Game of Congress was over there and then.
Why only Bihar, the reason for the Congress decline in recent times has been the lack of local leadership in state after state . Today it has only three Chief Ministers in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka to boast off . The party remember drew blank three times in row in Delhi assembly polls. A massive fall from the high of 15- year reign of Sheila Dikshit. Adding salt is AAP getting more seats in the capital. In Madhya Pradesh, they had the opportunity but wily old guards Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh duo ensured Maharaj Jyotiraditya Scindia’s exit and the result – a BJP government. Scindia now member of the Union Cabinet.
In Rajasthan , Veteran Ashok Gehlot’s battle with young Sachin Pilot saw the party lose polls. The cold vibes has not gone yet. The Rajasthan script is played out in Karnataka too with CM Siddaramaiah facing stiff challenge from his Deputy DK Shivakumar who too has Chief Ministerial ambitions . Such face-offs hit governance and raise question over stability. And give cannon fodder to BJP to take jibe at the Congress party.
With party in disarray president Mallikarjun Kharge presents a sorry figure . He has been overshadowed by Rahul Gandhi not surprised given the clout the Gandhi’s have on the Congress party. . The Gandhi scion picks the issues he likes and goes ahead whether it clicks or not. None in the party has the spine to walk up to him and say he is going off- track. And his allegations on NDA and attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi are simply not working.
When US President Donald Trump mentioned India as Dead Economy , Rahul Gandhidid not reject but strangely echoed his words. It is baffling that when it came to matters of economy the likes of seasoned P Chidambaram, former Finance Minister did not rebuff Rahul Gandhi on Dead economy jibe. Whether one likes it or not India is now the fourth largest economy and yes there are several issues that needs to be addressed and are of concern like the value of the Rupee against the Dollar . But Rahul Gandhi remains unfazed by the criticism and endless memes of losing 95 polls under his watch been highlighted in social media.
After the Bihar results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he anticipates a split in the Congress in the near future . Such grave remarks on the GOP should have seen a retort from party president Mallikarjun Kharge . But that did not come. Party instead is sticking to Rahul Gandhi’s vote Chori charge and slamming ECI for listening to BJP’s diktat’s.
At the AICC session Ahmedabad earlier this year , Shashi Tharoor , Senior Congress leader and four-time Lok sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in his speech clearly showed the way forward for the party when he was quoted as saying : Congress must be of hope, not of resentment, a party of positivity, not just negative criticism, a party for the future, not just of the past. “It should be a party with a positive narrative and not just criticism. I hope we will send a message that we will fight and we are for the future.” But Alas! Tharoor’s advise was put on cold storage.
Lastly , As the GOP declines politically with series of electoral losses . It is indeed ironical that the Congress party which was symbol of Nationalism and was the central figure during the freedom movement is a pale showdow of its former self and today dubbed as anti- national . And it is due to it’s inability to change with the times have now allowed the BJP to usurp the nationalism tag. So much so that the party which had no role in the freedom movement is today audacious and brazen enough to celebrate Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. This shift alone explains state of the the Congress today ie. at the Crossroads.
