New Delhi, Nov 14 (NationPress) The Congress party has encountered a significant setback in the Bihar Assembly elections, securing leads in merely four seats. A central aspect of the RJD–INC campaign was party MP Rahul Gandhi’s 'Vote Chori' initiative. His extensive travels across the state aimed to sway outcomes in 116 Assembly constituencies.

However, on the results day, the Congress was only leading in four out of the targeted 116 seats, reflecting a strike rate of less than 2 percent. Rahul Gandhi's campaign was heavily focused on the 'Vote Chori' message, with his journey across Bihar intended to influence half of the seats.

The aggressive campaign led by the INDIA Bloc, also referred to as the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, revolved around Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of vote theft. Yet, this strategy appears to have not resonated with the voters, as trends indicated a remarkable victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.

For Congress, the results are particularly concerning. The party not only struggled in the seats it contested but also failed to meaningfully contribute to the alliance's overall tally, leading in just four of the 61 seats it contested.

Despite repeatedly claiming 'voter chori' against the central government and the Election Commission, and campaigning around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive and the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', Congress found it challenging to gain traction.

In the final press conference on ‘Vote Chori’ on November 6, Rahul Gandhi asserted that he had evidence of a Brazilian model appearing on the Haryana voter list 22 times under various names, including Seema and Sweety.

Rahul Gandhi’s 'vote chori' campaign, coupled with Congress’ energetic social media outreach, was expected to galvanize supporters and consolidate anti-incumbency sentiment, but it failed to generate the momentum the party anticipated.

Promising a 'hydrogen bomb' of evidence but not fully delivering, Rahul Gandhi held three press conferences where he presented alleged evidence of how the ECI was facilitating vote theft, mass deletion of votes, and data manipulation.

On November 6, Rahul Gandhi reiterated his “vote chori” claim while appealing to what he termed “Gen Z brothers and sisters” to shape Bihar’s future. However, this approach also did not connect with the electorate.

In the 2020 elections, Congress secured 27 seats out of 70, achieving a conversion rate of 38 percent. This time, however, its performance has declined significantly.

Once a formidable presence in Bihar’s political scene, Congress has steadily diminished its influence over the state. In 2025, it contested as a junior partner in the alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The results from the 2025 Bihar elections mark one of the party’s weakest performances.

Historically, Congress was among the top three political parties in Bihar, especially before the state’s bifurcation in 2000. In the 1985 elections, Congress won a majority with 196 seats, leading to Chandrashekhar Singh becoming Chief Minister.

In the 1990 elections, Congress was the second-largest party with 71 seats, regarded as its last strong performance. The party’s final phase of significant leadership occurred under Jagannath Mishra, who served as Chief Minister in 1990.

However, its influence sharply declined thereafter. In the 1995 elections, its tally plummeted to 29 seats, marking the beginning of a long-term decline.

In 2000, Bihar was bifurcated to form the new state of Jharkhand, dramatically altering Bihar’s political landscape and allowing regional parties like the Janata Dal (United) and the RJD to rise. In the 2000 Assembly elections, held before bifurcation, Congress finished fourth with just 23 seats.

In 2005, Bihar experienced two Assembly elections due to a hung verdict in February, with fresh elections conducted in October–November, during which Congress garnered only a 6.1 percent vote share, signaling its diminishing support.

Congress enjoyed brief improvements in subsequent years, securing 27 seats in 2015 and maintaining a similar presence in later elections, but the 2025 outcomes reflect one of the party’s sharpest declines in Bihar.