Bihar Election 2025: Congress announces first list of 48 candidates amid alliance pressure and internal dissent. Seat-sharing delays strain MGB as NDA moves ahead with full campaign force.
By Qalam Times News Network | Patna | October 17, 2025
Bihar Election 2025 is no longer just a contest of numbers — it’s a test of nerve, negotiation, and narrative. As Congress finally released its first list of 48 candidates late Saturday night, it marked a decisive moment in the state’s political build-up. The party, caught between alliance compulsions and internal dissent, is trying to strike a balance — between old loyalties and new faces, between the weight of legacy and the hunger for revival.
This list — unveiled amid Mahagathbandhan’s stalled seat-sharing talks — is more than a roster of names; it’s a statement of intent. And for a Congress struggling to stay relevant in the Bihar Election 2025, it’s also an experiment in survival.
Congress’s Calculated Gamble: Between Loyalty and Renewal
Within the 48 candidates announced, Congress has tried to craft a mix of seasoned legislators and young hopefuls. State chief Rajesh Ram and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan headline a slate meant to reassure both the traditional vote base and restless youth workers who’ve long felt sidelined.
But here’s the catch — the announcement, while timely, comes with its own set of tensions. Protests have already surfaced in some districts over “outsider” candidates. Party strategists admit privately that some selections were made under pressure from central observers rather than state-level consensus. Still, the Congress hopes this move will create a sense of direction as Bihar Election 2025 shifts into campaign mode.
Mahagathbandhan’s Seat-Sharing Struggle
While the NDA has already finalized its candidates and unleashed a high-voltage campaign featuring Modi, Shah, and Yogi Adityanath, the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) remains tangled in negotiations.
Leaders like Pawan Khera and Madan Mohan Jha insist that a “respectable deal” for Congress is on the way, but the clock is ticking. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav continues to project confidence, yet behind closed doors, friction is evident. Smaller allies like Mukesh Sahani’s VIP are sending mixed signals — his abruptly canceled press conference only added to speculation about shifting loyalties.
For now, Congress’s candidate list looks like a bridge — shaky, but necessary — to cross into the campaign battlefield.
Grassroots Frustration and Symbolic Moments
Beyond the party offices, Bihar’s electoral pulse beats differently. From Nalanda, where a nomination rally turned chaotic, to Khagaria, where ex-MLA Poonam Yadav defected after accusing Nitish Kumar of betrayal — the undercurrent is unmistakable: politics in Bihar is still deeply personal, emotional, and unpredictable.
Even the lighter moments — like BJP’s Ajay Nishad joking that he’s the “wedding uncle” of the NDA family — reveal how charged yet self-aware this campaign has become. Meanwhile, Tej Pratap Yadav, carrying his grandmother’s photo during nomination, continues to turn family rift into political theatre.
In short, Bihar Election 2025 isn’t just about alliances; it’s about identity, pride, and endurance.
The Congress’s 48-candidate list may not swing the election, but it signals one thing clearly — the party wants to reclaim political space before it disappears completely. In a state where voters now see politics as a choice between governance and grievance, Congress’s relevance depends on its ability to present a credible third voice within the Mahagathbandhan framework.
Whether this list translates into votes will depend less on slogans and more on ground-level coordination — something the party has long struggled with in Bihar.
But as Bihar Election 2025 unfolds, one thing is certain: this is no routine election. It’s a referendum on political persistence — who can adapt, who can negotiate, and who can still matter when the noise fades.
