Rahul Gandhi hits out after Bihar wipeout; calls verdict ‘surprising’, alleges poll was never fair

Rahul Gandhi has described the Bihar Assembly election verdict as “surprising”, alleging that the contest “was not fair from the very beginning.” The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha's remarks — his first public response since the results — mark the start of a difficult post-mortem for the Congress, which has once again found itself struggling to hold political ground in a state where it once dominated.

What has Rahul Gandhi said in his first response to the Bihar verdict?

Breaking his silence after the NDA swept Bihar, Rahul Gandhi used X to thank supporters while sharply questioning the integrity of the election. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to those millions of voters in Bihar who expressed their trust in the Mahagathbandhan,” he wrote, before adding: “This result in Bihar is truly surprising. We could not achieve victory in an election that was not fair from the very beginning.”

He linked the outcome to a wider ideological battle, asserting that “this fight is for the protection of the Constitution and democracy”, and said the Congress and the INDIA bloc will “deeply review this result” and strengthen efforts “to make their campaign to save democracy even more effective”.

Why didn’t Rahul Gandhi’s extensive campaign translate into votes?

Gandhi’s campaign in Bihar was unusually immersive: he travelled 1,300 kilometres, visited 25 districts and touched around 110 constituencies. The outreach blended cultural signalling with physical effort — cycling through villages, fishing with locals, draping himself in the gamcha, speaking in Bhojpuri and stopping for makhana along the way.

Yet the electoral returns were starkly disproportionate to the visibility. Political strategists say the disconnect was partly generational: a young electorate remained unconvinced by the “vote chor, gaddi chhod” pitch, which Gandhi repeated throughout the campaign. Others point to organisational deficits within the Congress that no amount of on-ground symbolism could mask.

How badly did the Congress fare in Bihar this time?

The comedown from 2020 has been steep. Five years ago, the party won 27 seats out of the 70 it contested — a respectable strike rate. This election, the Congress slid to just six victories from more than 50 contests, losing deposits in most constituencies. Its final tally sat only marginally above much smaller players like AIMIM and HAM.

It was the party’s second-worst performance in the state since 2010, continuing a decades-long erosion of influence in Bihar’s political landscape, where regional parties have built deeper social coalitions and more agile field machinery.

How has other Congress leaders reacted?

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack on the NDA after its sweeping victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, alleging large-scale electoral manipulation. In a post on X, he said the results “reflect vote chori on a gigantic scale – masterminded by the PM, the HM, and the Election Commission.”

Ramesh added that the Congress will continue its fight “with even greater strength” to “protect the Constitution and save our democracy,” signalling the party’s intent to escalate its criticism despite the decisive mandate for the NDA.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded to the Bihar election outcome with a message of resolve, stressing that the party respects the people’s mandate but remains committed to challenging what he described as forces “weakening democracy by misusing constitutional institutions.”

In a statement posted on X, Kharge said the Congress would undertake a detailed review of the results before presenting a comprehensive assessment of why the Grand Alliance fell short. He expressed “deep gratitude” to voters who supported the coalition and offered reassurance to party workers across the state.

“There is no need for you to feel discouraged,” he wrote. “You are our pride, honour and glory. Your hard work is our strength.”

Kharge said the Congress would “leave no stone unturned” in raising public awareness in the months ahead, reaffirming that the party’s struggle to protect the Constitution and democracy will continue on the ground, among the people.

Calling the battle a long one, he emphasised that the Congress will pursue it “with complete dedication, courage, and truth.”