Senior Congress leaders have identified a disproportionate emphasis on the SIR and vote chori narrative, at the expense of pressing local concerns, as a primary reason for the party's devastating defeat in the recent Bihar elections. This assessment emerged during a crucial review meeting convened by the AICC brass in New Delhi.
Internal Review Points to Strategic Missteps
In the aftermath of the electoral debacle, the top Congress leadership, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and KC Venugopal, held a series of meetings with the party's poll candidates and MPs from Bihar. Approximately 70 members attended these sessions, which were conducted in batches to prevent potential clashes in a large gathering.
During the introspection, several senior functionaries argued that the party's campaign failed to connect with voters on the ground. They stated that a disproportionate focus on SIR/vote chori came at the cost of addressing crucial local issues such as the soaring cost of living, large-scale migration, and corruption. This strategic misjudgment, they claimed, severely damaged the Congress's prospects.
Multiple Factors Behind the Electoral Loss
Local party workers presented a granular view of the defeat, listing three immediate reasons. They pointed to the incumbent government's direct payment of Rs 10,000 to women during the polls, alleged booth manipulations, and a significant lack of coordination among the INDIA alliance partners.
Another critical factor highlighted was the role of AIMIM, which was accused of dividing minority votes, particularly in the Seemanchal region and beyond. Furthermore, strong allegations were levied against the BJP, with Congress members claiming the ruling party used a basket of tools to fix the polls. This alleged toolkit included the SIR narrative, EVMs, the buying of votes, and the weaponization of the state administration against opposition candidates.
Internal Clashes and Demands for Accountability
The review meetings were not without internal friction. Even before the top leaders arrived, two losing candidates clashed over the reasons for the defeat. The confrontation reportedly began when one candidate took exception to the other's advocacy of violence against outsiders who had received party tickets.
A more significant demand for accountability was also raised. One politician directly criticized the flawed process of candidate selection, holding it responsible for the heavy losses. In a veiled jibe at AICC in-charge Krishna Allavaru, he reminded Rahul Gandhi that he had taken responsibility for the 2019 Lok Sabha defeat and stepped down as president. He insisted that heads should roll in the state unit as well, a sentiment echoed by other members.
The party's alliance with the RJD also came under scrutiny. A section of Congress members argued that while the ally brings some votes, it also polarizes other communities, and they demanded that the party break the alliance. However, Rahul Gandhi reportedly rebuffed this argument by questioning why the Congress failed even on seats where it and the RJD were in a friendly fight against each other.
Questions were also raised about the party's emphasis on the caste census. Some members argued, without explicitly stating it, that the victory of candidates from individual upper castes far exceeds their population share, while the success rate for some large OBC communities aligns with their numbers. This subtly challenged the party's advocacy of the share as per population slogan.
