Tharoor urges ‘serious introspection’ within INDIA bloc after Bihar setback

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the Opposition must undertake “serious introspection” after its sweeping defeat in the Bihar Assembly elections, warning that lessons must be learnt ahead of five key state polls next year.

Speaking to reporters here hours after the results were declared, Tharoor said the scale of the loss had caught journalists and ground-level observers off guard, underscoring deeper strategic and organisational gaps within the INDIA bloc.

“This defeat should prompt us to learn lessons. Why did this happen? Where was the problem? With the leadership, candidate selection, or something else?” he asked, stressing that the alliance must conduct an honest self-assessment instead of rushing to conclusions.

Tharoor said he had no direct insight into the internal dynamics in Bihar as he was not involved in the campaign. “I do not know what happened there as I was not invited, so I am unaware of the ground realities,” he said. He added that feedback from journalists suggested that “this sort of drubbing was least expected”.

With five states, including Kerala, heading to the polls in 2026, the Thiruvananthapuram MP said the Opposition must swiftly recalibrate its approach. “Introspection is the need of the hour,” he said, cautioning that any delay in recognising structural weaknesses could prove costly ahead of the 2026 state elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.

He also pointed out that the Congress was not the dominant force in Bihar, where regional allies led the campaign. “We were not the main party in Bihar, so they too have to introspect,” he said, suggesting that responsibility must be shared across the INDIA bloc.

Tharoor’s blunt remarks are likely to add to the pressure on the Congress and its allies to review their campaign strategy, messaging, and candidate selection processes as they navigate one of their toughest political phases.