Daijiworld Media Network - Patna
Patna, Mar 25: In a significant political development ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress has officially declared that it will contest the elections as part of the INDIA Bloc alliance.
The decision was finalized during a high-level meeting on Tuesday, chaired by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, with the presence of key leaders including Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress members from Bihar. Bihar Congress President Rajesh Kumar confirmed the announcement while addressing the media in New Delhi.
"The Congress party will fight the Bihar Assembly elections under the INDIA Bloc. Unlike some other states, the alliance remains strong in Bihar, and our primary goal is to defeat the BJP-led coalition. BJP remains our principal adversary in the state," Kumar stated.
Regarding the seat-sharing arrangement, he maintained that discussions on the subject would take place at a later stage.
"It is too early to discuss seat-sharing specifics. Closer to the elections, our leaders will negotiate and finalize the formula," Kumar added.
Although the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has already projected Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan, Congress leaders indicated that a collective decision on leadership would be made after consultations with all alliance partners.
Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru emphasized, "The Chief Minister candidate will be decided in coordination with all allies within the INDIA Bloc."
When questioned about the potential induction of political strategist Prashant Kishor into the alliance, Allavaru remained neutral: "A final decision will be made only after thorough discussions. We will deliberate on the matter."
Similarly, when asked about Pappu Yadav’s role in the coalition, he responded, "The INDIA Bloc supports everyone who is committed to opposing the BJP."
The meeting witnessed the participation of prominent Bihar Congress leaders, including former state president Akhilesh Singh, former minister Ramjatan Sinha, and senior leader Shakeel Ahmed.
With this announcement, speculations about tensions between RJD and Congress have been put to rest. As the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections draw closer, the united front of the INDIA Bloc is expected to play a decisive role in challenging the BJP-led alliance in the state.