ISLAMABAD: The Indian National Congress after facing a defeat in the Bihar assembly elections, on Friday alleged that the election results reflected a vote theft on a gigantic scale.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the party respect the decision of the people of Bihar and will continue to fight the forces that weaken democracy by misusing constitutional institutions.
“Without doubt, the election results in Bihar reflect vote theft on a gigantic scale – masterminded by the PM and the Election Commission,” said Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh.
“The Indian National Congress renews its resolve to continue with even greater strength its campaign to protect the Constitution and save our democracy,” Ramesh added.
“We will conduct a thorough study of the election results and will present a detailed perspective after understanding the reasons for the outcomes. We are deeply grateful from the bottom of our hearts to those voters in Bihar who supported the ‘mahagathbandhan’,” Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.
“This fight is long – and we will fight it with complete dedication, courage, and truth,” he added.
Early trends indicate the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is poised to secure the largest number of seats in the pivotal eastern state. While the results are still preliminary, the contest is drawing national attention.
According to Indian media reports, the Congress, the second-largest constituent of the alliance, is struggling to touch double digits with leads in 4-5 seats.
Bihar—one of India’s most populous states and an important political battleground—is seen as a barometer of Modi’s political strength following the BJP’s inability to win an outright majority in the 2024 general election.
The election, held in two phases on November 6 and 11, recorded a historic turnout of 66.91% — the highest in Bihar since 1951, according to the Election Commission of India. More women voted than men, underscoring their growing political influence in a state where many men migrate to other regions for work.
In the previous 2020 election, the BJP-led alliance secured enough seats to form the state government under JDU leader Nitish Kumar. Bihar sends 40 lawmakers to India’s lower house of parliament, making the state a crucial political prize.
The state’s GDP per capita stands at INR 52,379, a figure comparable to that of the Central African Republic.
Analysts say a victory in Bihar would strengthen Modi’s coalition ahead of critical state elections in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam, and build momentum toward the 2029 national polls.
