Tensions erupted in Patna on Wednesday after allegations surfaced that Congress assembly tickets were being “sold,” triggering protests by angry aspirants and a chaotic scene at the airport. The turmoil unfolded as several Congress leaders, including state president Rajesh Kumar, were issued tickets for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
The uproar began when a group of disgruntled party aspirants stormed the Patna airport and heckled state Congress president Rajesh Kumar and legislative party leader Shakil Ahmed Khan, accusing them of selling tickets. Both leaders had returned from Delhi and were expected to distribute tickets at Sadaqat Ashram, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) headquarters.
Sensing the volatile mood, the leaders shifted the process to a private residence, where selected candidates were quietly handed the party symbol. Photos of several confirmed candidates were later shared on the official X handle of the Bihar Congress.
Among those confirmed were Rajesh Kumar, contesting again from the Kutumba (reserved) seat, sitting MLAs Anand Shankar Singh (Aurangabad), Vijendra Chaudhary (Muzaffarpur), and Pratima Das (Raja Pakar). The Congress appears to have followed the lead of allies like RJD and CPI(ML) Liberation and even rivals such as JD(U), which have already begun distributing tickets ahead of formal announcements.
Meanwhile, the nomination process for the first phase of elections ends on Friday, while the deadline for the second phase extends until October 20.
Late Wednesday night, Rajesh Kumar, Shakil Ahmed Khan, and AICC in-charge Krishna Allavaru met RJD chief Lalu Prasad at his residence, where they reportedly reached an “amicable understanding” on seat-sharing after days of tense negotiations.
Party insiders say the Congress initially took a firm stance, buoyed by the response to Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, which rejuvenated its ground presence in Bihar. However, sources suggest the Congress has agreed to contest 61 seats — nine fewer than in 2020, when it fielded 70 candidates and won 19. The RJD is expected to retain the largest share of seats, though fewer than its 2020 tally of 144.
The Left parties — CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(M), and CPI — along with former minister Mukesh Sahani, are likely to be accommodated in the remaining constituencies of the 243-member Bihar Assembly.
The controversy over “tickets for sale” has cast a shadow on the Congress campaign, exposing internal rifts just as the party sought to present a united front against the NDA in Bihar.
