Bihar Defeat Sparks Fresh Doubts on Congress’ Ability to Lead INDIA Alliance

Bihar: The huge defeat of the Grand Alliance in the Bihar Assembly elections and the weak position of the Congress have changed the balance of politics of the INDIA block. After the failure of Congress in the Hindi belt, the demand to bring new leadership within the alliance has intensified.

How bad was the performance of Congress?

Congress contested 61 seats in Bihar but won only 6 seats. Its strike rate was only 9.8%. In contrast, the grouping of TMC, AAP, SP, and Shiv Sena (UBT), which has 77 Lok Sabha MPs, is already going its own way.

Why did TMC raise the issue of changing leadership?

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said that Congress is not able to stop BJP. According to him, leadership should be in the hands of a leader whose record is clean. He said that Mamata Banerjee is the only leader who has consistently defeated BJP in Bengal; hence, she should take over the leadership of the opposition. TMC leaders reminded that BJP has not been able to progress in Bengal in the last six elections.

How was the new subgroup formed within the INDIA block?

For several months, TMC, AAP, SP, and Shiv Sena (UBT) have been working on their different strategies. These parties are giving priority to regional issues and taking decisions away from the Congress line. An example of this was seen in the 2024 Delhi elections, where this group supported AAP and not Congress.

Why are the upcoming elections important for the opposition?

Bihar's defeat comes at a time when elections are to be held in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, and Kerala next year. Voting will also be held in big states like UP, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh in 2027. In such a situation, after the weak performance, the situation of Congress has become more challenging.

Why is there a need for review within the alliance?

CPIM leader MA Baby said that all parties should review the results at their own level and as an alliance. According to him, the “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhod” campaign could not show much impact, whereas BJP's narrative was more effective.

What impact will these results have on seat-sharing?

Analysts say that the defeat of Bihar will decide how many seats Congress will get in the alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and other Hindi Belt states. A senior Congress leader also admitted that asking for 61 seats in Bihar and winning only 6 would weaken their bargain.

Why is the position of Congress so weak in Bihar?

Political analyst Manindra Thakur says that Congress does not have any solid support base of its own in Bihar. The party was contesting the elections completely with the support of RJD, whereas its position in UP is considered relatively strong.

Why is AIMIM's victory a worry for the opposition?

An opposition leader described AIMIM's victory on 5 seats as a worrying sign for the INDIA block. According to him, this is an indication that a section of Muslim voters have now started looking for alternatives beyond the alliance.