New Delhi, Jan 15 (NationPress) As the leadership of Congress grapples with challenges in Karnataka, emerging reports suggest that the party's Assembly seat count in Bihar could mirror its current standing in West Bengal – a striking zero.

Intense speculation surrounds the six Congress MLAs in Bihar, with indications that they may defect to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United.

Despite Congress leaders refuting these rumors, their noticeable absence from party events and the allure of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have intensified discussions about further erosion of the already weakened Opposition.

The rumors gained momentum when three Congress legislators missed a critical party meeting last week, and none of the six attended the customary "dahi-chura" feast organized by the state Congress unit prior to Makar Sankranti.

Reports suggest that leaders from the ruling Janata Dal-United are in contact with the Congress MLAs, with announcements of defections potentially on the horizon.

Adding to the speculation, Sanjay Kumar, Minister of Public Health Engineering from the Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas, claimed that all six Congress legislators are in touch with the ruling NDA and are likely to cross over following Makar Sankranti (observed on Wednesday).

This speculation arises just two months after the NDA's overwhelming victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, where it secured 202 out of 243 seats, leaving the Mahagathbandhan in disarray.

Examinations reveal three potential scenarios.

In the first, all six MLAs might defect, erasing Congress's legislative influence and symbolically indicating its collapse in Bihar. Alternatively, a partial defection could trigger an official split under anti-defection regulations, weakening Congress but not entirely eliminating it.

However, without confirmed defections, a status quo could prevail, where the MLAs remain, but ongoing speculation could further undermine the party's credibility.

In any case, the Mahagathbandhan, already marginalized in the Assembly elections, would experience additional deterioration.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the principal opposition party, would lose its ally’s legislative backing. The RJD managed to secure only 25 seats, a significant drop from its previous total of 75. The Congress, which lost 13 seats in the latest election compared to 2020, is already struggling to maintain cohesion among its members.

State Congress President Rajesh Ram asserted that the MLAs remain loyal and accused the NDA of disseminating false information. National leaders have reiterated that the party is concentrating on nationwide initiatives like the “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram”.

Nevertheless, Congress, already reduced to a marginal entity in numerous states, now faces the grim prospect of losing its entire legislative representation in Bihar.

For Nitish Kumar and the NDA, such defections would represent a significant political achievement, further solidifying their authority. For the Opposition, it would mean yet another setback in a state once viewed as fertile ground for anti-BJP politics.

Although the central leadership of Congress has denied any imminent defections, insiders concede that morale is low following the electoral defeat.

In neighboring West Bengal, the Congress currently holds no representation in the Assembly, despite having governed the state until 1977, barring a brief period.