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Sources say Congress had sought a meeting before the upcoming Parliament session to press its ‘vote chori’ narrative but key allies like TMC, SP showed little interest
In a direct challenge to Congress’s continued dominance within the alliance, both TMC and SP have reiterated that their respective leaders deserve to be considered for the bloc’s top post. (PTI)
The Congress’s crushing defeat in the Bihar assembly elections, where it bagged just six seats of the 61 it contested, is now triggering serious introspection—and power plays—among opposition partners.
Sources told CNN-News18 that the Congress had sought a meeting before the upcoming Parliament session to press its “vote chori” (vote theft) narrative following the Bihar result. However, key allies such as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) reportedly showed little interest in joining that effort. The message to Congress, sources say, was blunt: it can no longer assume leadership of the INDIA bloc.
In a direct challenge to Congress’s continued dominance within the alliance, both TMC and SP have reiterated that their respective leaders deserve to be considered for the bloc’s top post.
Joining the bandwagon on Tuesday was the Shiv Sena (UBT), which publicly mocked the Congress after it recently announced it will go solo in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections. In an editorial in their mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena accused Congress of flaunting its “national party” credentials in a bid to reassert relevance, even as its performance falters.
Saamana also pointed to the recent Bihar debacle as evidence: during those elections, there was “no Raj Thackeray factor” to divert votes, the editorial argued, “so why did Congress still fail so badly?”
The Bihar drubbing shows how a diminished Congress risks becoming a liability within its own alliance. The party contested 61 seats but won just six, fuelling speculation within the INDIA bloc that it may no longer be capable of leading a united front.
Questions are also being raised within the bloc if the Congress’s narrative of electoral malpractice holds any power, particularly when allied parties are unwilling to back it.
With both Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress pushing for their leaders to take over bloc leadership, Congress risks losing its traditional seat at the top table. What adds to the party’s woes is that the “vote chori” strategy—considered the centerpiece of Congress’s post-Bihar narrative—has not found traction with its allies, raising doubts about its effectiveness.
The humiliating defeat in Bihar is now spilling over into the very structure of the INDIA bloc. For the Grand Old Party, the fight isn’t just about winning seats anymore; it’s about staying relevant within its own alliance.
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als…Read More
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als… Read More
November 18, 2025, 10:45 IST
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