Patna: The Congress party is experiencing a major setback in the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, with early counting trends showing it trailing behind the CPI(ML) despite contesting in more than three times as many constituencies. Out of 61 districts where candidates were nominated, the party is leading in only four, matching the CPI(ML)’s count but lacking in overall political strength, according to analysts. This situation underscores the party’s diminishing influence in the state, where it seems to once again be the weakest link in the Grand Alliance. The most significant blow is in Kutumba (SC), where Congress state president Rajesh Ram is falling behind by 8,977 votes to HAM candidate Lalan Ram.
This decline occurs even as Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru sought to reorganize the party’s leadership and campaigning efforts. It is not just Ram who is facing difficulties; senior leaders Ajit Sharma and Shakeel Ahmad Khan are also trailing in their respective areas, exacerbating the crisis for a party that aimed to strengthen its grassroots presence. Congress announced 48 candidates in its first list and added seven more in a second list, focusing on issues like unemployment, education, agrarian distress, and local development. Party strategists had hoped that improved organization and direct voter engagement would help them recover from their 2020 performance of 19 seats and a 9.48% vote share, but initial trends indicate otherwise.
Among its notable candidates, the party nominated Rajesh Ram in Kutumba, Shakeel Ahmad Khan in Kadwa, Shashwat Kedar Pandey in Narkatiaganj, and Qamrul Hoda in Kishanganj. Yet, Congress seems unable to leverage local discontent or turn organizational changes into electoral success.