Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Absent on Bihar Election Counting Day, Skipped Nehru Tribute

New Delhi: The results of the Bihar Legislative Assembly elections are out, delivering a landslide victory to the NDA and a crushing defeat to the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance). Out of the 243-member assembly, NDA secured 202 seats, while Mahagathbandhan managed only 35 seats. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj party failed to win a single seat. Analysts suggest that the alliance’s confusion, internal disputes, weak leadership, and poor coordination contributed to its self-inflicted collapse.

The counting of votes on 14 November coincided with Jawaharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary, also celebrated as Children’s Day. However, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were conspicuously absent, failing to pay tribute to Nehru. Reports suggest that they were abroad, and their absence echoed their earlier non-attendance at Mahatma Gandhi’s Rajghat on 2 October. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) declined to formally confirm the leaders’ overseas travel.

Congress Silent on Bihar Election Results
The AICC did not hold any press conference regarding Bihar’s election outcome. Some party officials pointed to factors such as the Election Commission, deep scrutiny of voter lists (SIR), and alleged “vote theft” as reasons for the debacle—issues Rahul Gandhi had frequently raised during the campaign.

Internal Criticism and Questions on Leadership
The defeat has sparked criticism within opposition circles over Congress’ election strategy and alliance management, including the appointment of Krishna Allavaru as AICC in-charge for Bihar. Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar told The Economic Times that the party must introspect seriously on its handling of elections and alliances, including the SIR issue and government decisions such as distributing ₹10,000 to women during the model code of conduct, which seemingly benefited NDA.

Former Bihar Congress President Akhilesh Pratap Singh admitted that “friendly rivalries” within the party affected the alliance’s performance, congratulating NDA and Nitesh Kumar for their success. Shashi Tharoor emphasized the need for deep introspection, pointing out that the opposition’s campaign relied more on negativity than a positive agenda.

Other Missteps Highlighted
The party’s decisions to mock Prime Minister Modi over Operation Sindoor and US trade deals backfired. Congress leaders also debated Rahul Gandhi’s handling of caste representation: despite aggressive OBC outreach, the party fielded predominantly upper-caste, Dalit, and Muslim candidates, failing to consolidate traditional support bases. This mismatch between leadership strategy and ground realities contributed to the poor performance and raised questions about the alliance’s future cohesion and Congress’ leadership credibility.

The absence of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi on such a crucial day, coupled with these strategic missteps, has left the party grappling with both political and symbolic setbacks.