New Delhi: What was meant to be a sober post-mortem of Congress’s humiliating zero-seat defeat in the Bihar Assembly polls descended into high-voltage drama on Wednesday as senior leaders openly vented fury against Rahul Gandhi and the party high command.
In a packed review meeting chaired by Rahul himself, tempers flared when Bihar leaders accused the central leadership of treating the state unit like an unwanted stepchild. “You never trusted us, never gave funds, never campaigned seriously,” a visibly emotional former state president reportedly shouted, revealing that Congress candidates were forced to beg allies RJD and Left for even basic campaign material.
Sources say several leaders broke down while narrating tales of neglect: posters never arrived, promised star campaigners skipped rallies, and Rahul Gandhi addressed just one public meeting in the entire campaign. One MP reportedly stormed out, slamming the door, while another questioned why the party contested 70 seats only to become a laughing stock.
The “Delhi durbar” received the sharpest barbs. Leaders demanded to understand why Rahul’s close aides made all key decisions, while elected state functionaries remained sidelined. “This is not a party; this is a private limited company,” a seasoned parliamentarian allegedly thundered.
As fingers pointed at Rahul’s “parachute leadership” and lack of ground connection, the meeting exposed deep fault lines ahead of the crucial 2026 organisational elections. With the Gandhi scion cutting a grim figure amid the barrage, the grand old party appears headed for another round of bitter introspection – and possibly more desertions.