BIHAR BATTLE: Cong names 5 more candidates

The Congress on Saturday released its second supplementary list of five candidates for the Bihar Assembly elections, even as a storm brewed within its state unit over allegations of corruption and favouritism in ticket distribution.

According to the grand old party’s central election committee’s announcement, Shaswat Kedar Pandey has been fielded from Narkatiaganj, Md Qamrul Hoda from Kishanganj, Md Irfan Alam from Kasba, Jitender Yadav from Purnia, and Mohan Shrivastava from Gaya Town.

With this, the Congress has declared a total of 53 candidates so far. However, the fresh list has sparked discontent within the party’s Bihar unit. A group of senior leaders, including a sitting MLA and a former legislator, accused state in-charge Krishna Allavaru and Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Rajesh Ram of “selling tickets” and “sidelining loyal workers.”

At a press conference in Patna on Saturday, the disgruntled faction alleged that party workers with decades of service were overlooked in favour of those “close to the leadership.” They urged Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to intervene before the crisis deepens further.

Adding to the turmoil, Anand Madhab, a BPCC spokesperson, resigned from his post, citing a breakdown of internal ethics and accountability.

In a strongly worded resignation letter addressed to Kharge, Madhab wrote: “Loyalty, commitment, hard work and simplicity are no longer valued in our party. I have served with integrity and honesty, but my inability to engage in bribery or feed egos has cost me dearly.”

He went on to allege that “corporate interests such as Adani and Ambani now outweigh performance” and that the “Mera Admi, Tera Admi” (MATA - My Men, Your Men) theory dictates who gets nominated. “Despite my clean record and academic credentials, I have been denied a ticket four times,” he added.

The Congress had earlier this week declared its first list of 48 candidates after sealing a seat-sharing pact within the Mahagathbandhan.

BPCC president Rajesh Ram was re-nominated from Kutumba in Aurangabad, while senior leaders like Ajit Sharma (Bhagalpur) and Anand Shankar Singh (Aurangabad) also retained their seats. The party said it sought to maintain a balance of caste, region and community representation while rewarding loyalty. Yet, the internal revolt threatens to overshadow Congress’s campaign at a crucial juncture.