Bihar election shock: Rahul Gandhi calls results ‘unfair’, Congress alleges large-scale vote theft as NDA storms past 200 seats
Bengaluru: The Bihar Assembly election results delivered a resounding mandate to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which crossed the 200-seat mark in a sweeping victory that left the opposition Mahagathbandhan battered and demoralised.
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi reacted sharply to the verdict, terming the outcome “shocking” and alleging that the elections were “unfair from the beginning”.
Posting on social media platform X, Gandhi expressed gratitude to voters who backed the Mahagathbandhan while insisting that the mandate did not reflect a fair electoral playing field. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the millions of voters in Bihar who placed their trust in our alliance.
These results are indeed shocking,” he wrote. “We could not win because the election was unfair from the very beginning. Our struggle is for the protection of the Constitution and democracy. The Congress and the INDIA alliance will review the results thoroughly and strengthen our efforts to safeguard democracy.”
NDA secures massive lead; Mahagathbandhan collapses:
The results projected the NDA at 202 seats, while the Mahagathbandhan appeared poised to secure only around 35 seats, marking one of its worst performances in the state in recent years. Notably, the much-publicised Jan Suraaj movement failed to open its tally, while independents and smaller parties managed to gain ground in at least six constituencies.
Within the ruling NDA fold, the BJP emerged as the single largest party, securing 87 seats and leading in three more. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) won 78 seats, maintaining a significant presence but ceding ground to its ally.
On the opposition side, the RJD secured 24 seats, leading in two additional constituencies, while the Congress managed to win just six seats, continuing its downward spiral in Bihar’s political landscape.
Congress intensifies ‘vote theft’ allegations:
Barely hours after the results, the Congress escalated its accusations of electoral manipulation and procedural irregularities. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh took to Instagram with a blistering statement, alleging that the results “undeniably reflect widespread vote theft organised by the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and the Election Commission”.
Ramesh insisted that the Congress would continue its fight “with even greater strength” to protect constitutional values and preserve democratic institutions. His comments were echoed by party spokesperson Pawan Khera, who posted a cryptic remark: “Thieves always steal in secrecy.”
The allegations have triggered sharp responses from NDA leaders, who have accused the Congress of undermining democratic institutions to mask its repeated electoral failures.
PM Modi counters with ‘M-Y’ equation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, celebrating the NDA’s emphatic victory, countered the Congress narrative by declaring that the people of Bihar had rejected the RJD’s “Muslim-Yadav (M-Y) appeasement model”. He claimed that the NDA’s own “Mahila-Yuva (M-Y)” strategy—focusing on women and youth—had resonated far more strongly.
Modi said the voters of Bihar had “taught a fitting lesson” to parties that manufacture baseless allegations about vote theft. He argued that the Congress and RJD were attempting to delegitimise the verdict because they had failed to connect with the ground realities.
Political storm intensifies:
The Congress’s allegations have sparked a political storm, with NDA leaders accusing the party of disrespecting the mandate and disregarding the will of the people. Bihar BJP leaders termed the opposition’s claims a “habitual excuse” used after every defeat.
Political observers note that the Congress’s sharp rhetoric signals its attempt to keep the INDIA bloc politically aligned amid increasing internal fissures. Meanwhile, the NDA is projecting the landslide victory as a decisive endorsement of its governance, social welfare programmes, and law-and-order agenda.
As both camps dig in, Bihar’s election verdict has turned into a national flashpoint—one that is likely to shape the narrative for upcoming state elections and the broader political contestation ahead of 2026.
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