A day after its heavy defeat in Bihar, the Congress leadership closed ranks in Delhi, questioning the Election Commission’s conduct and signalling a deeper confrontation over what it calls a compromised poll process.
On Saturday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi held a closed-door meeting with AICC general secretary (Organisation) K. C. Venugopal, treasurer Ajay Maken, and Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru.
Sources said the discussion centred on the party’s poor showing in the state, just six wins out of the 61 seats it contested. This is the Congress’s second-worst performance in Bihar since 2010, when it managed only four seats.
Within the Mahagathbandhan, of which Congress is a key partner, the mood remains sombre as the NDA’s near-clean sweep has left allies stunned.
Venugopal, however, made the party’s stance clear. Responding to questions on the defeat, he pinned the blame squarely on the Election Commission, declaring that the entire process lacked transparency.
“This result that has come from Bihar is unbelievable for all of us. This is not only for Congress. The entire Bihar people are not believing it and also our alliance partners. We discussed with all of them; they are not believing it,” Venugopal said.
“Because, a 90 per cent plus strike rate for a political party – which has not happened in Indian history. We are doing a thorough analysis; we are collecting data from across Bihar. Within one or two weeks, we will come out with concrete proof,” he told reporters.
The Congress leader alleged that the poll machinery functioned without accountability.
“The Election Commission is totally one-sided. Whatever they are doing, there is no transparency at all, and therefore, this process is questionable. Anyway, we will collect all data from everywhere from entire Bihar and then present the facts,” he said.
Venugopal also backed Rahul’s earlier remarks calling the election “not fair.”
“We have been talking about the Election Commission (role) and we talked about this during the Haryana elections – that the Haryana election is rigged. We have come out with evidence and have the Election Commission question our evidence. On Bihar polls also, we will come with concrete proof,” he said.
A day earlier, Rahul had said the Bihar mandate was “surprising,” arguing that the election was compromised “from the very beginning.” He said Congress and the INDIA bloc would conduct a detailed review of the results.
The party has already alleged that the outcome reflects “vote chori on a gigantic scale – masterminded by the PM, the HM, and the Election Commission.”
Rahul's campaign messaging in Bihar revolved around the “Vote Chori” theme, a phrase he repeated throughout the election trail.