The Congress party faced a significant setback in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, highlighting persistent challenges in its organisational strength and leadership effectiveness. Despite Rahul Gandhi’s extensive Voter Adhikar Yatra, which covered over 25 districts and 110 assembly constituencies, the party failed to convert the campaign’s momentum into electoral gains.

Gandhi’s yatra, which began in Sasaram and concluded in Patna, spanned approximately 1,300 km and sought to energize grassroots workers and consolidate votes under the Mahagathbandhan alliance. However, the party trailed in 9 out of 10 constituencies where Gandhi held rallies, with its narrative on “Vote Chori” failing to gain traction among voters.

Key party leaders, including state Congress president Rajesh Ram and Congress legislative party leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan, were defeated, marking another blow to the party’s prospects in Bihar. Analysts noted that internal factionalism and hesitancy to fully endorse RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate contributed to confusion among the electorate. When questioned about this, Gandhi sidestepped declaring a clear stance on Tejashwi’s leadership within the alliance.

While the Voter Adhikar Yatra succeeded in mobilizing local party workers and generating enthusiasm on the ground, the impact waned as campaigning concluded, and the results reflected the party’s ongoing structural challenges. The Congress has indicated it will conduct a thorough assessment to understand the reasons behind its disappointing performance in Bihar.