Patna: The Congress in Bihar has plunged into open discord following its heavy defeat in the state assembly elections, with senior leaders and party workers publicly challenging the leadership and demanding accountability.
Dozens of Congress workers gathered at the party’s Patna headquarters, Sadaqat Ashram, on Friday, accusing the state leadership of discrimination in ticket distribution and resenting the disciplinary action taken against several members. Tensions escalated as slogans of “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chor” echoed through the premises.
Purnia MP Pappu Yadav arrived at the office in an attempt to calm tempers but was met with resistance. He sat on the floor with agitated leaders, urging them to withdraw their protest, but made little headway.
The unrest follows the Grand Alliance’s poor performance in the election, securing only 35 seats overall. The Congress, a key partner, won just six seats — 13 fewer than in 2020 — prompting widespread anger within its ranks. Workers staged a sit-in at the party office, blaming the leadership for what they described as a mishandled campaign and flawed candidate selection.
The dissent has also taken a formal turn. Earlier in the week, several leaders demanded the resignation of state Congress president Rajesh Ram and announced plans to escalate their protest by holding a sit-in on November 21 and meeting senior leaders in Delhi the following day. In response, the party’s disciplinary committee issued show-cause notices to 43 leaders.
Yadav himself has added to the controversy, accusing Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allawaru of accepting money for distributing tickets. The allegations have further inflamed tensions among already disgruntled workers.
Rajesh Ram dismissed the turmoil as internal disagreements, saying: “These people are also party members. They are making their demands. They should present their demands to the central leadership.” On the accusations of corruption in ticket allocation, he said: “Such allegations keep coming up.”
