A deep rift has emerged within the Bihar Congress ranks after a group of disgruntled leaders publicly accused State Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru and Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Rajesh Ram of involvement in a ‘ticket selling’ scandal. These accusations surfaced on Saturday, October 18, 2025, during a heated press conference.
The protesting party functionaries, including a sitting MLA and a former MLA, demanded immediate intervention from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to address the grave allegations.
In a direct consequence of the turmoil, Anand Madhab, who served as both spokesperson and chairman of the research department for the BPCC, promptly resigned from his positions.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Kharge, Mr. Madhab expressed his dismay: “Unfortunately, it appears that loyalty, commitment, hard work, and simplicity are no longer valued attributes in our party. Despite a decade of serving the party with unwavering integrity and honesty, my refusal to engage in bribery and pander to the egos of a few individuals has seemingly derailed my career.”
‘Dedicated Workers Disregarded’
Mr. Madhab further elaborated on his concerns, stating that “the influence of corporate interests, such as Adani and Ambani, appears to have taken precedence over merit and performance.” He described a pervasive “Mera Admi, Tera Admi” (My Men, Your Men) approach dominating party decisions. Despite his unblemished record, strong educational background, and significant contributions, including efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, he lamented being denied an Assembly ticket four times.
He voiced apprehension that the current method of ticket distribution would lead to disastrous electoral outcomes, predicting the party might struggle to secure even a double-digit tally. “A political party’s success is built on principles and discipline, not the arbitrary whims of a select few. Regrettably, the ego of some individuals seems to have overshadowed these fundamental values,” Mr. Madhab added.
Adding to the allegations, Khagaria MLA Chhatrapati Yadav was replaced by a new face, Chandan Yadav, while former MLA Gajanand Shahi, who narrowly lost the last election by just 113 votes, was replaced by Trishuldari Singh. Both Yadav and Shahi asserted that the party showed no regard for its devoted workers. Sudhir Kumar alias Bunty Choudhary, a former candidate from the Sikandra constituency, also joined the press conference to voice his discontent.
‘Demand for Probe into Ticket Distribution’
Chhatrapati Yadav leveled serious accusations against Mr. Allavaru, alleging that the Bihar Congress in-charge coerced State president Rajesh Ram and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan into supporting his “wrongdoings.”
Mr. Shahi questioned the logic behind denying him a ticket despite his narrow loss, especially when others who lost by larger margins were awarded tickets. He demanded a thorough investigation into the decisions and motivations behind the ticket allocations.
The leaders also highlighted a change in procedure, noting that previously the candidate list was announced before tickets were issued, but now tickets are given first, followed by public announcements. This change, they implied, facilitates opaque dealings.
Tensions had previously flared at Patna airport when Congress workers from the Bikram constituency confronted Mr. Allavaru, Mr. Ram, and Mr. Khan, accusing them of corruption in ticket distribution. The situation escalated into a melee, with all three leaders seen hastily retreating, and Mr. Khan eventually escaping in his car.
Dual Nominations Create Further Confusion
Further compounding the pre-election chaos, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Nabin Kumar submitted nomination papers for two different political parties – the RJD and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) – to contest from the Alamnagar constituency. When questioned, Mr. Kumar stated he was merely following party instructions and would withdraw one nomination as directed.
Resentment also simmered within the RJD camp, as Shantanu Yadav, son of the late former Union Minister Sharad Yadav, protested after being denied a ticket from Madhepura.
Meanwhile, the RJD announced the withdrawal of its candidate Afzal Ali Khan from Gaura-Bauram, explaining that the seat had been allocated to the VIP in seat-sharing arrangements. VIP chief Mukesh Sahani’s younger brother, Santosh Sahani, filed his nomination for the seat on Friday.