As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) surged far ahead in the Bihar Assembly Election 2025 trends, Congress leader Pawan Khera on Friday delivered a scathing critique of the Election Commission, claiming that the real battle unfolding in the state is not between political parties — but between the people of Bihar and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Khera accused the Election Commission of favouring the ruling coalition and undermining public trust. He remarked that the early trends suggest an uneven electoral field.

“These are early numbers, and we’re still watching closely. But what the initial trends indicate is that Gyanesh Kumar is gaining an upper hand over the people of Bihar. I have full faith in Bihar’s voters — they showed courage even in the face of SIR and alleged vote theft,” Khera said, reiterating that “the contest is directly between the Election Commission of India and the people of Bihar — not between political parties.”

Khera further questioned the credibility of the poll process and remarked that the coming hours would determine “how effective Gyanesh Kumar will be.”

His sharp criticism comes at a time when the Congress is performing poorly. As per Election Commission data at 11:30 am, the party was ahead in only seven seats — a steep decline from the 19 seats it won in 2020, and reflecting an 11.6% conversion rate for the seats it contested.

Meanwhile, the NDA has comfortably crossed the majority mark, leading in 190 seats. The BJP is ahead in 82 constituencies, while the JD(U) leads in 80. In stark contrast, the Mahagathbandhan is trailing with leads in only 45 seats, with the RJD ahead in 33.

Earlier in the day, Congress MP Manickam Tagore also alleged that voter deletions targeted opposition supporters, saying that democracy cannot survive when the playing field is tilted.