Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Nov 14: The Congress party endured a crushing defeat in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, with early trends showing it leading in merely four seats out of the 61 it contested. This marks one of the party’s weakest performances in decades and underscores its declining influence in the state’s political landscape.
A central feature of the campaign was party MP Rahul Gandhi’s aggressive “Vote Chori” pitch, which aimed to highlight alleged voter manipulation and corruption. Gandhi traveled extensively across Bihar, targeting 116 Assembly seats and positioning the campaign to influence roughly half the state. Despite the high-profile initiative, the strategy largely failed to resonate with voters.
In the seats contested, Congress recorded a strikingly low conversion rate of under 2 per cent, reflecting not only its inability to capture votes but also its minimal contribution to the INDIA alliance (Mahagathbandhan) tally. Early trends suggest the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) achieved a record victory, leaving Congress struggling to make an impact despite high-energy campaigns and social media outreach.
Rahul Gandhi’s “Vote Chori” campaign involved multiple press conferences where he presented alleged evidence of voter manipulation, mass deletions of votes, and data tampering. He highlighted, for instance, an instance where a Brazilian model appeared 22 times on the Haryana voter list under different names. Despite promises of a “hydrogen bomb” of proof, the campaign failed to translate into voter support in Bihar. Gandhi also specifically appealed to younger voters, calling on “Gen Z brothers and sisters” to shape Bihar’s political future. Yet, the pitch did not yield the expected momentum.
Congress’ poor showing contrasts sharply with its historical prominence in Bihar. The party was once a dominant force, securing a clear majority with 196 seats in 1985 and producing Chief Ministers such as Chandrashekhar Singh and Jagannath Mishra. Its influence began to erode in the 1990s, dropping to 29 seats in 1995 and further declining after Bihar was bifurcated in 2000, which facilitated the rise of regional parties like the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
In subsequent elections, Congress occasionally recovered, winning 27 seats in 2015. However, the 2025 results represent one of the party’s steepest declines, signaling its continuing struggle to maintain relevance in Bihar politics. Analysts note that the combination of weak ground presence, ineffective campaign messaging, and the NDA’s overwhelming popularity contributed to Congress’ disappointing performance.
The 2025 Bihar Assembly election results highlight the party’s diminished role, reducing it to a junior partner in the INDIA alliance and reinforcing the narrative that Congress’ influence in the state has nearly evaporated.