Congress Calls on Bihar Unit to Protest SIR Initiative

Quick Summary

• Congress leadership held a meeting on July 14, 2025, urging its Bihar unit to launch mass protests against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the State assembly elections.
• The meeting was led by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Rahul Gandhi, K.C. Venugopal, PCC chief Rajesh Kumar, and independent Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav.
• Pappu yadav’s participation is notable as he was excluded from a joint protest event with Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Patna on July 9.
• After the meeting, Pappu Yadav expressed disagreement with Tejashwi Yadav being considered the sole chief ministerial candidate for the RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar.
• Though, PCC Chief Rajesh Kumar dismissed these differences within the alliance as insignificant. He emphasized unity among INDIA alliance leaders and suggested that campaign-related committees be formed quickly.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The call for protests against SIR highlights concerns about electoral processes in Bihar ahead of critical Assembly elections. Mobilizing grassroots dissent may serve as both a strategy to challenge perceived irregularities and galvanize voter participation. The inclusion of Pappu Yadav in high-level discussions signals an effort by Congress to expand influence across influential regional players-though his dissent on leadership within the alliance could suggest underlying fractures.

While dismissing internal disagreements publicly may aim at preserving unity within the INDIA bloc, unresolved differences could complicate coalition dynamics during campaigning or policymaking phases. The formation of manifesto and campaign committees proposed by State leaders demonstrates urgency amid fast-evolving pre-election scenarios.

Read more: The Hindu