New Delhi: Eighty-five years after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) met in Ramgarh, undivided Bihar, under the leadership of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the party has once again gathered in Bihar this time in Patna. In 1940, the Congress resolved to push for a Constituent Assembly to draft a Constitution for an independent India. In 2025, the Congress is meeting as the main opposition at the Centre, eyeing electoral gains in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
On Wednesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hoisted the party flag at the Bihar Congress headquarters before the meeting began at Sadaqat Ashram. The gathering includes senior leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and chief ministers from Congress-ruled states. Party sources hinted that key resolutions linked to the Bihar elections are likely to be adopted.
Revisiting history at Sadaqat Ashram
The choice of venue is symbolic. Sadaqat Ashram, now home to the Bihar Congress office and a museum, once hosted Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Rajendra Prasad, and Maulana Azad during the freedom struggle. By choosing this location, the Congress seeks to reconnect with its historic legacy, framing today’s battle as part of a “second freedom struggle.”
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X this morning, reminding that it was at the 1940 Ramgarh session that the party first committed itself to the creation of a Constituent Assembly. Taking a swipe at the RSS, he added that those who had opposed the Constitution are now celebrating its centenary.
Hyderabad formula for Bihar campaign
The Congress leadership is also drawing from its recent electoral strategy in Telangana. In 2023, a CWC meeting in Hyderabad had galvanised party workers ahead of the state election, which ended with a big win for the Congress. Leaders hope to replicate that momentum in Bihar.
At today’s meeting, party president Kharge accused the BJP of exploiting communal issues for political benefit. The CWC is also expected to sharpen its attack on the Election Commission over alleged voter fraud. Both the Commission and the BJP have dismissed the allegations, but Congress hopes to project itself as standing guard over electoral fairness.
Message to ally RJD
The meeting also has significance beyond symbolism. As seat-sharing talks with the RJD continue, Congress is keen to underline its weight in the Grand Alliance. In 2020, the Congress contested 70 assembly seats but won only 19. This time, leaders want a more favorable deal. The party’s decision not to endorse RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav as the alliance’s chief ministerial candidate is being seen as part of its bargaining strategy.
By assembling its top leadership in Patna, the Congress hopes to send a dual message: a show of strength against its rivals, the BJP and JDU, and a reminder to its ally RJD that it remains the principal opposition force in the country, unwilling to settle for a minor role in Bihar’s politics.
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