In a significant development ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, the Congress has officially announced its decision to contest the elections under the umbrella of the INDIA Bloc.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday.
Prominent leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress members from Bihar, attended the meeting. Bihar Congress President Rajesh Kumar confirmed the party’s stance while addressing the media in New Delhi.
“The Congress party will contest the Bihar Assembly elections under the INDIA Bloc. Unlike other states, the alliance is united in Bihar, and our primary objective is to defeat the BJP-led alliance. BJP remains our main opponent in Bihar,” Mr Kumar stated.
When questioned about the seat-sharing formula, Rajesh Kumar clarified that it is too early to discuss the specifics.
“It is premature to comment on seat sharing at this point. When the elections come closer, our leaders will sit together to finalise the formula,” he said.
Despite RJD already projecting Tejashwi Yadav as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan, Congress leaders indicated that the final decision will be made after consultations with all alliance partners.
Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru emphasised this point: “The name of the Chief Minister candidate will be decided after meeting with all alliance partners of the INDIA Bloc.”
When asked about the potential inclusion of Prashant Kishor in the INDIA Bloc, Krishna Allavaru remained non-committal: “A decision will be taken after proper discussion. We will sit and talk about it.”
On the role of Pappu Yadav, Allavaru said: “INDIA Bloc stands with anyone who stands against BJP.”
The meeting saw the participation of prominent Bihar Congress leaders, including former state president Akhilesh Singh, former minister Ramjatan Sinha, and Shakeel Ahmed.
With this announcement, the speculated cold war between RJD and Congress seems to have subsided. As the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections approach, the unity within the INDIA Bloc could play a crucial role in challenging the BJP-led alliance in the state.