Bihar result 'unbelievable', legal action to follow: KC Venugopal

New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday described the Bihar Assembly election outcome as "unbelievable", alleging large-scale vote manipulation and electoral fraud even as discontent simmered within the party and the wider INDIA bloc.

AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, speaking after a strategy meeting at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge, said the party would conduct a detailed, data-driven review of the results.

He asserted that "major frauds" had occurred and warned that the country was passing through an "extremely serious phase".

According to him, strong legal action and follow-up measures would be initiated after collecting and scrutinising all relevant data.

The Congress leadership has already reached out to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Venugopal confirmed that the INDIA alliance would undertake a joint evaluation of the Bihar verdict.

Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also held a separate assessment meeting focused on the party's unexpected poor performance.

The Congress, which had won 19 seats in the previous election, managed to bag only six this time.

The Mahagatbandhan - comprising the RJD, Congress and Left parties - won 35 seats altogether, while the NDA retained power with a commanding 202 seats.

Within the Congress, several leaders privately concede that Rahul Gandhi's electoral strategy failed to deliver, leading to mounting frustration after the defeat.

Amid this internal churn, the party has decided to continue its "vote loot" claims.

Congress leaders also accused the Election Commission of India of "aiding" the BJP by "allowing irregularities" in the electoral rolls following the special intensive revision exercise.

Kharge has spoken again with Tejashwi, and leaders of the Mahagatbandhan in Bihar are expected to meet shortly for a detailed introspection of the loss.

Ahead of the winter session of Parliament, the INDIA bloc will convene a national-level meeting to decide its collective political response to the Bihar setback.

--IANS

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