Upbeat Congress sees resurgence message

Assertion of Rahul's leadership is the immediate implication, with larger consequences for the days ahead

After the Bihar results, a beaming Rahul Gandhi stepping out confidently to address the media here, without his mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi leading the way, was evidence of the changing dynamics within the party.

While celebrating the victory as a win for the united efforts of the grand alliance, party members hailed Rahul Gandhi, their vice-president, as its architect. For, it was he who had brought the two erstwhile arch rivals, Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, together when they were not on the same page.

Attacking the "divisive politics" of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the "arrogance" of Narendra Modi, Gandhi advised the prime minister, "This is a message from the people of Bihar to the BJP and Narendra Modi, that you can't divide people and country and win elections. It's a victory of truth, brotherhood and harmony."

Without pausing for breath, Gandhi went on to loud cheering from party workers, "Since Modiji became PM, there have been only promises. Start the work, one year has passed and your car is not starting. Press the accelerator. If you fail to do so, like Bihar, the people of the country will open the door and throw you out (of the driver's seat)."

Party seniors said with this victory under his belt, Rahul's elevation as Congress president would be expedited, many predicting within the next two months.

After a string of poll, Gandhi's gamble of fully backing Nitish Kumar, even as a disgruntled Lalu Prasad held back, seemed to have finally paid off. Said a longtime Congressman from Bihar, "Even Lalu Prasad had to give in and that is no small achievement. Gandhi is now finally being credited for his strategy and not just as another privileged dynast."

The fact that the Congress managed to hold its own, under the baton of state party head Ashok Chaudhary, a Rahul appointee and in the face of demands that he be replaced, will go to Gandhi's credit. Incidentally, senior members, barring former Union minister Anand Sharma, were conspicuous by their absence in the jubilation at party headquarters on Sunday, possibly indicating the shift of power in the days to come.

The final tally for the Congress, breaking all records for the past 25-odd years, saw a 600 per cent increase from the paltry four seats in 2010 to 27; it also meant a strike rate of 66 per cent. Rahul Gandhi admitted to media queries that the party was in talks with the other two allies in state ministry formation.

With a resurgent Congress, this victory is slated to escalate the tension between the ruling benches and the Congress-led Opposition in the coming Parliament session.

With key government Bills like the one on a goods and services tax lined up for the session, the Congress, which has already made things difficult for the Modi administration, will be in no mood to relent, making its passage difficult. Congress people say they believe the Bihar polls will mark a turnaround for it, not only in Bihar where it had been almost wiped off but nationally as well.