Bihar Election Results Reveal Congress Faultlines, From Calls For Introspection To Open Defiance | Elections News

Last Updated:November 14, 2025, 19:07 IST

The NDA’s strong lead in Bihar has triggered a wave of contrasting reactions in Congress, from calls for organisational reboot to renewed allegations of EC interference

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and spokesperson Pawan Khera.

As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) powers ahead in Bihar with leads above the 200-seat mark, the Congress is witnessing unmistakable internal churn. Senior leaders, former office-bearers, MPs and prominent voices close to the party’s old guard have issued sharply divergent reactions, some calling for deep introspection, others striking a defiant, confrontational tone aimed at the Election Commission and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While one section of the party is openly acknowledging organisational weaknesses after yet another electoral setback, another is insisting that the real problem lies in an allegedly compromised electoral process.

Together, the statements reflect widening fissures within the Congress at a moment when the Opposition’s Mahagathbandhan is struggling to keep pace with the NDA’s sweeping lead.

Calls For Introspection

Former Governor and senior Congress leader Nikhil Kumar was among the first to publicly acknowledge organisational shortcomings. “This reflects the weakness of our organisation,” he said, adding that elections cannot be fought without a strong ground presence. “Our candidates are all very capable, but even better candidates could have been chosen. The organisation should have worked strategically, intelligently and maintained a strong presence across all constituencies.”

Echoing this inward-looking sentiment, but with far sharper criticism, Mumtaz Patel, daughter of late Congress veteran Ahmed Patel, posted a scathing note on X. “No excuses, no blame game, no introspection, it’s time to look within and accept reality,” she wrote, warning that loyal ground workers have endured “failure after failure due to power concentrated in the hands of few who are totally disconnected with ground reality.”

She added that these individuals “will be rewarded again and again because they have made themselves indispensable with their control and power.”

Tharoor Urges Review But Points To RJD Too

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said the party must “study in detail the causes” of the electoral outcome. Noting that the Congress was not the senior partner in the Mahagathbandhan, he added that the RJD must “carefully look at its own performance” as well.

Tharoor also revealed he had not been invited to campaign in Bihar. “I was not there and I was not invited to campaign… Those who were there will certainly study the outcome.” He pointed to issues of “organisation’s strengths and weaknesses” and “messaging,” and remarked that women voters “were certainly given some incentives just before the Code of Conduct,” even if such practices remain within legal boundaries.

‘Vote Chori’ Allegations Return

On the other end of the spectrum are leaders who have rejected the idea that organisational lapses alone led to the Mahagathbandhan’s poor showing. Instead, they have revived accusations of bias against the Election Commission, alleging large-scale irregularities.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the “real contest” in Bihar was “between the ECI and the people of Bihar,” adding, “Going by the early trends, it seems Gyanesh Kumar is outweighing the people of Bihar.” Accusing the senior poll official of political bias, Khera claimed, “Gyanesh Kumar Gupta is writing this book for PM Modi,” referencing the title To Serve with Love.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has, for months, alleged systematic “vote chori” by the BJP and the Election Commission across multiple states, including Bihar. He has argued that “large-scale electoral manipulation” is weakening public trust in democracy, a refrain he has repeated even as results show the NDA cruising towards a decisive victory.

Tagore, Udit Raj Hint At Tilted Playing Field

Manickam Tagore’s morning post added to the defiant bloc’s narrative. Citing the deletion of lakhs of voter names, he wrote: “When you delete 65 lakh voters — mostly from the Opposition’s voters — what do you expect on result day? Democracy cannot survive if the playing field is tilted before the match even begins.”

The tone was widely interpreted as an admission that the Mahagathbandhan may not recover ground in this election.

Congress leader Udit Raj echoed the sentiment, claiming, “This is not voters’ win, this is the win of Election Commission and SIR. This is the murder of democracy.”

A Party Split Between Self-Reflection And Confrontation

Taken together, the reactions reveal a Congress divided between two impulses. One section admits that the party must confront deep-rooted organisational weaknesses, leadership disconnect and poor messaging.

The other insists the defeat is rooted in structural unfairness, from the SIR voter revision controversy to broader accusations of EC bias and “vote chori.”

With the NDA heading towards one of its strongest mandates in Bihar’s history, the Congress’s contrasting responses are laying bare long-simmering internal tensions. Whether the party ultimately leans towards introspection or doubles down on defiance will define its next political course.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More

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