Congress targets EC, alleges ‘gathbandhan’ with BJP as Bihar Election 2025 dates are announced

The Congress on Monday alleged the Election Commission of India worked an ‘alliance’ with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the poll panel ‘failed’ to provide answers to the questions raised by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress charge came on a day when Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced two phases of voting for Bihar assembly elections 2025 to be on November 6 and 11. The counting of votes will be held on November 14, as per the poll body's schedule.

After the poll dates were announced, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera told news agency PTI, "We don't get answers to our questions. Election Commission is being questioned on a daily basis. They created a political environment that there are illegal migrants, where are the illegal migrants? They did not answer."

The Bihar election 2025 is expected to be a contest between the ruling alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal United (JDU) and the Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress party. Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor is also in the fray with his Jan Suraaj Party.

"The questions that INDIA bloc and Rahul Gandhi asked, no answers have been given," Khera told PTI Videos alleging that the announcement was made on Monday, giving the ruling alliance time to put money in people's hands.

"If this is not 'gathbandhan' (alliance) between the BJP and the EC then what is it. The issue is not just 'vote chori' but what you do after it. What you did for the last 20 years those are the issues. You stole pensions, rations, jobs," Khera said.

When is Bihar Election?

Voting in first phase on November 6 will cover 121 assembly constituencies, while the second phase will cover 122 seats.

For the first phase, the last date of filing nominations is October 17 while the scrutiny will be held on October 18. The last date of withdrawal of candidature for first phase elections is October 20.

Similarly, for the second phase, the last date of filing nominations is October 20 while scrutiny will be held on October 21. The last date of withdrawal of candidature for the second phase elections is October 23.

The term of the current Bihar Assembly ends on November 22. The state has 243 assembly constituencies, including two reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 38 for Scheduled Castes.

(With PTI inputs)