The political heat in Bihar is at its peak. From village chaupals to crowded tea stalls in Patna, one question dominates every conversation: Who will win this time.
But amid this huge churn, a corner remains silent.
The absence of Congress’s Rahul Gandhi has become the biggest talking point of the Bihar election.
Rahul Gandhi had last visited Bihar on September 1, when he addressed the concluding rally of his ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Patna. That day, he spoke strongly on unemployment, social justice, and education, declaring: “If Bihar rises, India rises”.
It seemed he was ready to play an aggressive and decisive role in Bihar’s political contest.
But nearly two months have passed since. What makes this absence more visible is that in the same period, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav have held multiple public rallies across the state.
On the ground, the Congress campaign seems listless, the absence of a strong leader only too visible.
Many Congress candidates have now started questioning the delay from the high command.
One Congress candidate, speaking on condition of anonymity, confessed: “People ask us where is your top leader? What are we supposed to say? Without the Gandhi family face, how do we convince voters?”
A young Congress worker from Bhagalpur echoed the frustration: “We are putting up posters, holding roadshows, meeting people every day but without Rahul Gandhi on stage, this battle feels incomplete. The crowd wants to hear him.”
Even within the Mahagathbandhan, tension is simmering.
While Tejashwi Yadav is leading the campaign from the front, the Congress’s sluggish participation has irked the ally.
“Elections are fought with unity. If an ally fights half-heartedly, it stops being supported and becomes a burden,” an RJD leader commented bluntly.
The Congress has defended its strategy. The party has also denied any internal weakness.
Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said: “Rahul-ji’s schedule is finalised. His rallies in Bihar are being planned. We don’t do crowd politics, we do issue-based politics.”
Why is Rahul Gandhi staying away? Sources close to the Congress have suggested three key reasons behind Rahul Gandhi’s prolonged absence:
1. Internal Strategic Disagreements: Conflicts over seat-sharing and campaign planning between state leaders and the high command have slowed coordination.
2. National Priorities – The Congress is focusing more on Maharashtra and Haryana, where it sees stronger chances of revival.
3. Repositioning of the campaign: Rahul Gandhi is opting for selective campaigning, trying to shift from crowd politics to issue-based politics as part of a new strategy.
But this raises a fundamental question: Does digital strategy defeat ground reality? Bihar still believes in face-to-face politics, not speeches that arrive through social media channels.
BJP exploiting the silence
Rahul Gandhi’s silence has now become BJP’s favorite weapon. BJP spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh said: “Rahul Gandhi has no faith in Bihar voters. That’s why he is missing from the battlefield.”
This isn’t just political sarcasm. It is a calculated attempt to occupy the void created by Congress’s slow campaign.
The Unanswered Question
Rahul Gandhi’s absence has now become central to Bihar’s political narrative. This election is testing not only his political relevance but also the direction and credibility of Congress. In politics, a delayed decision often signals not strategy but confusion.
So the question people are now asking across Bihar is simple yet loaded: Is Rahul Gandhi’s silence the calm before a storm or just a sign of Congress fatigue.