File photo of Congress workers at the party office in New Delhi on day of Bihar poll results(L), a cut-out of Rahul Gandhi during a rally in Patna
Credit: PTI Photos
Patna: Despite the NDA scoring an unpredictable landslide victory two months back during the Bihar Assembly elections, winning 202 seats in the 243-member House, the state could see more political upheaval this month itself.
The political grapevine is abuzz with the numerous theories which indicate that either all the six Congress MLAs, or the two-thirds of them: which means at least four legislators have made up their mind to change colours for greener pastures.
At least two reliable sources within the ruling party have confirmed that the Congress, which received a severe drubbing in the November 2025 Assembly polls as it could win merely six seats, is on the verge of complete decimation. And this political realignment will take place anytime after the on-going inauspicious period (also called ‘Kharmas’ in Hindu calendar) is over and the auspicious period begins on Makar Sankranti on January 14.
Food for thought
The claim by the ruling combine got more teeth when Bihar Congress hosted a ‘Dahi-chura’ (curd and flattened rice) party on the eve of Makar Sankranti at its party headquarters in Sadaquat Ashram. However, not one of the six Congress MLAs attended the feast, thereby lending more credence to the NDA ministers’ claim that “all the Congress MLAs are gearing up to cross over the fence for greener pastures.”
Although Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram denied any such possibility, and asserted that “NDA leaders were spreading rumours,” the LJP minister in the Nitish government Sanjay Singh said, “Let the auspicious period begin. Post-Makar Sankranti, there will be mass exodus within the Congress as all the party legislators are likely to join the NDA.”
The minister’s claim has some weightage as last week, the Congress had held a meet in Patna to discuss MGNREGA issue, but three out of six MLAs abstained from that crucial meet convened at the instance of party high command.
Sources in the ruling party say that the Congress MLAs are most likely to join the JD (U) reaffirming their loyalty and support to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“This suits Nitish too as the JD(U) tally will then increase from 85 to 91, more than the single largest party BJP’s 89 tally. Besides, Nitish may be eyeing the sole BSP MLA too, to shore up his numbers so that he once again can play the role of ‘big brother’ and be in a dominant position where no ally can dictate him terms,” opined noted political scientist Ajay Kumar.