Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed shock over the Bihar Assembly election results on November 14, 2025, calling the verdict “truly surprising” and alleging the contest was “not fair from the very beginning.” In a post on X, he thanked millions of voters who backed the Mahagathbandhan but promised a thorough review to bolster the INDIA bloc’s efforts in safeguarding the Constitution and democracy.
The NDA clinched a commanding 202 seats in the 243-member house, with BJP as the single largest party at 93, while the Mahagathbandhan scraped 35—RJD at 23 (leading 2 more) and Congress at 6, its worst since 2010. This drubbing, amid record 67.13% turnout, has sparked internal Congress soul-searching and fresh cries of “vote chori.”
Gandhi’s Post: Gratitude Mixed with Allegations of Foul Play
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to those millions of voters in Bihar who expressed their trust in the Mahagathbandhan. This result in Bihar is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning,” Gandhi wrote, adding, “This fight is for the protection of the Constitution and democracy. The Congress Party and the INDIA alliance will deeply review this result and make their efforts to save democracy even more effective.” His remarks echo pre-poll Voter Adhikar Yatra claims of irregularities like voter deletions under Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which removed 6 million names, mostly minorities and migrants.
Congress’ Wave of Reactions: From Introspection to Indictments
Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge respected the mandate but vowed to combat forces “misusing constitutional institutions to weaken democracy,” urging workers not to lose heart and promising a detailed study. Spokesperson Pawan Khera targeted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming early trends showed him “succeeding against Bihar’s people” in a “direct fight” beyond parties.
Other leaders piled on:
- Shashi Tharoor: “Seriously disappointing”—called for “very serious introspection” on tactical, messaging, and organizational lapses, noting he wasn’t invited to campaign.
- Jairam Ramesh: “Vote chori on a gigantic scale” masterminded by PM Modi, HM Amit Shah, and ECI; vowed intensified “save democracy” push.
- Priyank Kharge: “Extremely surprising and unacceptable”—not the people’s mandate; demanded ground-level probe.
- Mumtaz Patel: Blasted centralized decision-making sidelining grassroots; urged internal accountability and collective opposition action, even boycotts if polls stay compromised.
- Shakeel Ahmad (ex-Congress): Flagged ticket irregularities and AIMIM’s 6 seats outpacing Congress, blaming Muslim vote shift to prevent “third-party” wins.
| Leader | Key Quote | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Rahul Gandhi | “Election not fair from the very beginning” | Unfair polls, review for democracy |
| Mallikarjun Kharge | “Fight against forces weakening democracy” | Respect mandate, study results |
| Pawan Khera | “Gyanesh Kumar succeeding against people” | ECI bias in trends |
| Shashi Tharoor | “Seriously disappointing—introspection needed” | Organizational mistakes |
| Jairam Ramesh | “Vote chori on gigantic scale” | Manipulation by PM, HM, ECI |
| Priyank Kharge | “Not the people’s mandate” | Surprising outcome |
| Mumtaz Patel | “Decision-making in few hands” | Internal centralization, accountability |
| Shakeel Ahmad | “AIMIM shocking over Congress” | Ticket issues, vote splits |
NDA’s Triumph: 202 Seats Seal Nitish’s Fifth Term
The BJP-led NDA’s three-fourth majority crushes Mahagathbandhan’s hopes, with JD(U) at 83 and allies like LJP(RV) at 19. PM Modi called it a “good governance” win, attending Nitish Kumar’s oath soon. Opposition’s “vote chori” chorus, tied to SIR and CCTV lapses, faces NDA’s “voter purification” retort.
This rout signals Congress’ Bihar revival challenge, with Gandhi’s Yatra (1,300 km across 25 districts) failing to stem the tide. Full ECI data on results.eci.gov.in.
