In Patna, the Congress party’s top decision-making body, the Working Committee, wrapped up a big meeting on September 24 that’s making waves as a historic first in Bihar after more than 80 years. Top leaders gathered to gear up for the state’s upcoming assembly elections, just days after Congress and its allies finished their “Voter Adhikar Yatra” campaign this month.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge fired up the crowd, declaring that the countdown to toppling the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) kicks off right here in Bihar. It’s a bold move aimed at rallying party workers and breathing new life into the Grand Old Party’s efforts in the state.
But now comes the tough part: Congress needs to twist arms with its bigger ally, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), inside the opposition Mahagathbandhan grand alliance, to snag more seats in the seat-sharing talks. Expect plenty of back-and-forth, with Congress still leaning heavily on RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to decide their slice of the 243 assembly seats.
Right after the alliance’s march against alleged “vote chori” or vote theft, Tejashwi hit the road on his own five-day “Adhikar Yatra” to connect with voters in 10 key districts. He picked spots where RJD has built strength or held steady since 2010, testing the ground ahead of the Bihar elections.
Tensions are rising in the alliance. Reports say RJD is eyeing 150 seats, squeezing the rest—only 93—for partners like Congress and the Left parties. Those smaller allies aren’t backing down; they’re pushing hard for a bigger share. To ramp up the pressure, Tejashwi recently boasted he’s ready to fight all 243 seats solo if needed.
Flash back to the 2020 Bihar assembly elections: RJD jumped into 144 races under the Mahagathbandhan banner and came out on top with 75 wins, making it the single-largest party in the assembly—though they fell just short of a majority even with allies. Tejashwi, the RJD’s rising star and son of party founder Lalu Prasad, has cemented his role as the opposition’s go-to face. He’s the current Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly and skillfully handled seat deals with Congress and the Left back then.
Congress has thrown its weight behind Tejashwi as the alliance’s chief ministerial pick, but they’re holding off on an official nod for now. RJD insiders seem pleased, hinting that a formal backing could come soon.
Meanwhile, Congress faces an uphill battle in Bihar. The party has been losing ground for decades. It grabbed 71 seats in 1990, but that plunged to 29 in 1995, 23 in 2000, and a dismal four in 2010. Teaming up in the Mahagathbandhan helped in 2015 with 27 wins, but in 2020—given 70 seats to contest—they only managed 19. Supporters of Tejashwi as CM candidate whispered back then that Congress’s weak showing cost the opposition a super-narrow victory by a hair’s breadth.
As Rahul Gandhi steps in to negotiate seats with the dominant RJD, Congress doesn’t have much leverage. The party still struggles without a magnetic leader or a solid ground game in Bihar, making these talks a real test for the Mahagathbandhan ahead of the Bihar elections.
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