NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi delivered his first response to the Congress Party’s poor performance in the Bihar assembly election, describing the contest as “unfair from the very outset” and insisting that the party, along with the wider INDIA alliance, will undertake a detailed review of what went wrong. In a post on X, he wrote: “I express my heartfelt gratitude to those millions of voters in Bihar who placed their trust in the Mahagathbandhan. This result in Bihar is truly astonishing. We could not secure victory in an election that was unfair from the very outset. This battle is for the protection of the Constitution and democracy. The Congress Party and the INDIA alliance will thoroughly review this outcome and make their efforts to save democracy even more effective.”His remarks came as the NDA surged to a historic victory, securing over 200 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan registered just 33. The Congress won only six of the 61 seats it contested, prompting sharp internal and public reactions from party leaders. Rahul Gandhi repeated his accusation that the electoral process was compromised, saying the party “could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning.”Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed deep disappointment but urged party workers not to lose heart. In his post on X, he wrote: “We respect the decision of the people of Bihar and shall continue our fight against those forces that are engaged in weakening democracy by misusing constitutional institutions. We shall study the election results in depth and shall present a detailed account after understanding the reasons for the outcomes. To those voters in Bihar who have supported the Mahagathbandhan, we are deeply grateful from the bottom of our hearts. I wish to tell every Congress worker that there is no need for you to feel disheartened. You are our pride, honour, and glory. Your hard work is our strength.”He added that the party would “continue the struggle to protect the Constitution and democracy by staying among the people,” describing it as a long fight to be waged with “complete dedication, courage, and truth.”The NDA’s emphatic win has strengthened Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar, with the BJP emerging as the single largest party, followed closely by JD(U). For the Mahagathbandhan, the result marks a significant setback, particularly for the RJD, which won just 24 seats.As the political dust settles, the Congress leadership appears unified on one point: the Bihar result will be contested politically and organisationally, and the party intends to return to the electorate with renewed resolve.
