Conspiracy or Crisis? The Congress' Bihar Election Post-Mortem

In the aftermath of the Bihar assembly elections, Congress leaders have pinpointed several issues leading to their defeat, including financial inducements by the NDA and electoral malpractices. Congress's top brass, including Rahul Gandhi, met with candidates and vowed to challenge what they claim is an attack on democracy.

Following their recent defeat in the Bihar assembly elections, Congress leaders have identified a range of factors contributing to their poor performance. During a review meeting attended by senior figures such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, several issues were highlighted, including financial inducements by the NDA government to women beneficiaries and alleged electoral malpractices.

According to Congress general secretary K C Venugopal, these practices included voter deletions and cash bribery through the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana scheme. Venugopal argued that the election results were 'fabricated' and criticized the Election Commission for failing to address these concerns, describing it as complicity in BJP's election rigging.

Despite the setback, Congress leaders remain resolute. Venugopal declared that the fight to protect India's democracy would continue, stating that the party would not accept the 'stolen mandate' as the new norm. The meeting also addressed internal challenges, such as delays in forming alliances and rifts within the party, urging for timely and strategic alliances in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)