CONGRESS AFTER BIHAR: A PARTY THAT REFUSES TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR

 Unless Rahul Gandhi steps aside the party will have no space to reinvent itself.

................

The Congress defeat in Bihar was not just another electoral setback. It was a political humiliation. Yet the party’s response has been one of stunning silence—no introspection, no accountability, no meaningful acknowledgement of why a century-old organisation was wiped out in a crucial northern state. For a party that claims the legacy of Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi, this behaviour is nothing short of astonishing.

When the results were announced, Rahul Gandhi was abroad. That is not the real issue. The problem is that even after his return, the Congress high command did not convene a formal review. Party workers, state leaders, and the general public were left guessing. There has been no explanation from Rahul, none from the nominal party president Mallikarjun Kharge, and not even a token statement from Sonia Gandhi. This calculated silence is damaging the little credibility the party still possesses.

A political party aspiring to national relevance cannot simply pretend a defeat didn’t happen. People expect accountability. They expect leaders to own responsibility, discuss reasons for the setback, and present a roadmap. Congress did none of these. As a result, even traditional supporters are beginning to doubt whether the party is capable of operating as a responsible political force.

The reasons for the Bihar disaster are not difficult to identify. First, the campaign was over-centralised around Rahul Gandhi. No Congress Chief Minister was deployed effectively. No strong regional leader was allowed to rise. The entire messaging was reduced to one individual whose electoral appeal has repeatedly failed to translate into votes.

Second, the Congress has drifted from its historic image of inclusiveness to a narrow, sectional narrative. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the party increasingly positions itself as the champion of only certain groups—primarily Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes. But India has changed. Many backward communities are now economically and politically influential. Treating them as uniformly disadvantaged is analytically false and politically clumsy. Worse, this selective outreach has alienated other communities and deepened existing social fault lines.

At the heart of the problem is leadership. Rahul Gandhi, despite earnestness, has not shown the strategic clarity or political maturity required to revive a collapsing organisation. His inconsistent engagement, off-the-cuff remarks, and lack of sustained commitment make him a liability. Unless he steps aside—at least temporarily—the party will have no space to reinvent itself.

The Bihar defeat is not an aberration. It is a warning. And unless Congress finally chooses to look in the mirror, it risks becoming a spectator in a political landscape it once dominated.