New Delhi: In the aftermath of the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) sweeping victory in Bihar, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday described the Assembly polls as “not fair from the beginning.” Gandhi met with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge following the party’s poor performance in the state.
Reacting to trends confirming the NDA’s decisive win—securing 202 of the 243 seats—Gandhi expressed surprise at the outcome. Posting on X, he thanked voters who supported the opposition bloc but noted that the result raised serious concerns about the fairness of the election. “This result in Bihar is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning,” he wrote, without directly repeating his previous allegations of vote irregularities highlighted during his Voter Adhikar Yatra in the state.
Gandhi emphasised that the larger struggle is for “the protection of the Constitution and democracy,” stating that both Congress and the INDIA alliance would conduct a detailed review of the Bihar setback and strengthen efforts to safeguard democratic institutions.
The Mahagathbandhan faced a severe blow. Congress, contesting 61 seats, won only six, down from 19 in 2020. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) secured just 25 of 143 seats allotted to it, a steep decline from its previous tally of 75. The results highlighted the dominance of the NDA’s well-organised campaign and left the opposition with limited options to challenge the ruling alliance.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge echoed Gandhi’s concerns, alleging misuse of “constitutional institutions” during the elections. He reassured party workers, calling them the “pride, honour, and glory” of the party, and promised a thorough internal review of the results. Kharge reaffirmed Congress’s commitment to raising public awareness and defending constitutional values, stating, “This fight is long, and we will fight it with complete dedication, courage, and truth.”
Despite the electoral setback, both leaders underlined their resolve to continue political efforts to safeguard democratic principles.
