Bihar Leaders Protest In Delhi, But Congress Has To Sort Out 4 Other States First

An interesting protest took place outside the new Congress headquarters in Delhi - not by rival parties but by members of the party from Bihar. Around 40 leaders from the Bihar Congress demanded the removal of the state unit president and the party in-charge for the state, holding them responsible for the party's dismal performance in the state. Despite being part of the 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance) in the 2025 assembly elections, the Congress managed to win only six seats, suffering a loss of 13 seats. Having gone unheard in Patna, the leaders have travelled to Delhi in the hope that the Congress high command would listen to their grievances. Chhatrapati Yadav, a former Congress MLA from Khagaria who participated in the protest, told NDTV: "Both the state president and the in-charge have failed in Bihar and have pushed the party significantly backward; therefore, they should be removed". Yadav further demanded the withdrawal of the show-cause notices issued to 43 leaders of the party. The leaders called off their protest only after receiving an assurance that the memorandum detailing their demands will be conveyed to senior party leader Rahul Gandhi. But Bihar is currently not a priority for the Congress as no election is due there in the near future. Several states are proving a source of headaches for the Congress' Central leadership, and resolving this situation is crucial. Big Test In Punjab The immediate focus is on Punjab, where the party is facing a massive recurrence of factionalism ahead of the assembly elections due in February. On the one side is former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, on the other - state unit president Raja Warring. The Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, meanwhile, is making frequent trips to Delhi, hoping that the Central leaders would go with a neutral candidate. The Congress' central leadership has now removed the party in-charge for Punjab, Bhupesh Baghel and brought in Sachin Pilot to unite these factions. The political acumen of the 49-year-old will be put to test as he attempts to soothe egos and foster unity - a task made all the more urgent by the fact that time is running out. Pending Decisions In Rajasthan Next to Punjab is Rajasthan, a state notorious for the political tussle between Pilot and then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The rift had led the party to a precipice in 2020, where a split and a subsequent collapse of the government looked uncomfortably real. Although the next assembly elections in Rajasthan are not until 2028, the Congress high command must decide beforehand who will be entrusted with the state's leadership. By appointing Sachin Pilot as the in-charge for Punjab, the central leaders have signalled that his stature within the party is set to rise. While the role could have been assigned to anyone else, entrusting this responsibility to Pilot clearly reveals the intentions of the leadership. Niggles in Telangana In Telangana, which the Congress wrested from a minister lost her post following a controversy involving her daughter. Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy removed Konda Surekha from his cabinet. Konda Surekha's daughter, Sushmita Patel, had made remarks about Chief Minister Revanth Reddy that were deemed anti-party and, more significantly, a challenge to the Chief Minister's authority. Surekha paid the price by losing her post in the government. Allegations that Revanth Reddy had insulted the Backward Classes compelled him to appoint two women from that community to government posts. This incident is being viewed within the Congress as a conflict between "old guard" and "new" leaders. Trouble Brewing In Karnataka Too The party's fourth challenge comes from Karnataka, where DK Shivakumar, after becoming Chief Minister, does not find his path too easy. He had to make multiple trips to Delhi regarding cabinet formation and the allocation of portfolios. Then, shortly after cabinet formation, minister Ramalinga Reddy resigned, questioning why he had not been assigned the Bengaluru Development portfolio. He was eventually placated and given his preferred portfolio. Subsequently, another cabinet minister, B. Nagendra, faced corruption allegations and was forced to step down. Beyond these administrative issues, Shivakumar also has to contend with the occasional political remarks made by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.