“Rahul Gandhi Claims Bihar Polls ‘Unfair’ After Congress Defeat”

Rahul Gandhi Calls Bihar Polls ‘Unfair’ After Mahagathbandhan Rout.

Hours after the Mahagathbandhan faced a crushing defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi thanked voters who supported the alliance but alleged that the contest was compromised from the start. On X, he said the opposition would intensify its fight to “protect the Constitution and democracy.”

“I express my heartfelt gratitude to the millions of voters in Bihar who trusted the Mahagathbandhan. This result is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning,” he wrote. Gandhi added that Congress and the INDIA bloc would “deeply review” the outcome and strengthen efforts going forward.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a historic win, claiming 202 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan managed only 35. The RJD won 23 seats and led in two more, with Congress finishing at six seats—one of its worst performances in Bihar since 2010.

Congress Leaders Criticise Poll Outcome

Several Congress leaders reacted sharply to the verdict:

• Pawan Khera: Claimed the contest was a “direct fight between Gyanesh Kumar and the people of Bihar,” not political parties.

• Mallikarjun Kharge: Said the party respects the mandate but will continue opposing forces “misusing constitutional institutions to weaken democracy.”

• Shashi Tharoor: Called the results “seriously disappointing” and urged a detailed review of messaging, tactics, and organisation.

• Jairam Ramesh: Alleged large-scale manipulation by the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Election Commission.

• Priyank Kharge: Called the outcome “extremely surprising” and “not the people’s mandate.”

• Mumtaz Patel: Criticised concentrated decision-making in a few hands and highlighted internal organisational failures.

• Shakeel Ahmad: Cited ticket distribution issues and noted AIMIM’s surprising gains in Seemanchal.

The results signal a major setback for the INDIA bloc, with the NDA now commanding a three-fourth majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.