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Every seat won by Congress in Bihar Assembly polls was because of RJD: Mangani Lal Mandal

PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) state president Mangani Lal Mandal said on Saturday that all seats that Congress won in the recently held state assembly polls were because of RJDs support. The remark comes hours before a joint meeting of the Opposition INDIA bloc allies in the state capital to discuss strategy for the special session of the Bihar legislature, beginning December 1. Talking to media persons, Mandal said that if the Bihar Congress intended to adopt a 'different' way, it was free to do so. Congress will get to know its real strength on the ground when it fights the elections alone. RJD has a strong support base, which is reflected in the election results, he said, adding that RJDs alliance partners only benefit from it. To buttress his statement, Mandal said that Congress had contested 71 seats in the previous 2020 assembly election, and it could win only 19 seats due to the continuous support of RJD. He said the Congress reviewed the partys poor performance in the 2025 election at a high-level meeting held in New Delhi, in which it blamed the RJD for its defeat. Dismissing the RJD state presidents claim, Congress spokesperson Asitnath Tiwari asked, Congress has been a spent force in Bihar, why RJD choose to contest the elections in alliance with the grand old party? Another Congress leader, Gyan Ranjan, said that if Mandal has to say anything, he should raise it at the right platform and not before the media. Rebels blame Bihar Congress leaders for poll debacle Congress leaders said that Mandal should convey his feelings to Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, chairperson of the INDIA blocs coordination committee, for Bihar assembly elections. Statement in the media will not serve any purpose, Congress leaders said, adding that every ally of Mahagathabandhan was analysing reasons for its defeat in the elections. When asked whether Congress would part ways with RJD, Congress MP and former state president Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the decision would rest entirely with the central leadership of the party. The leaders of the party held a review meeting in New Delhi to get feedback on the partys debacle in the Bihar polls, he said. While Congress could win only six out of 61 seats it contested in the 2025 assembly elections, RJD could win 25 out of 143 seats. Meanwhile, former minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Syed Shanawaz Hussain took a jibe at the internal conflict within the Mahagathbandhan after the political debacle in the Bihar assembly elections. Hussain said, They were fighting with each other before the elections and are doing the same thing after the poll results. He described the alliance between RJD and Congress as unholy and said that it was stitched together to derive political gains. It was bound to happen as their ties were meant for political gains and not on any ideology, he asserted. Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the Mahagathbandhan is scheduled to be held at Tejashwi Yadavs Polo Road residence after his return from Delhi. The meeting will discuss the Oppositions strategy for the special session of the legislature. Minister Lad says NDA won Bihar polls by throwing democratic principles to wind Prashant Kishor claims Bihar polls rigged but admits he has no proof