In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly election, dissent grew within the Indian National Democratic, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc on Sunday over the distribution of tickets to contest.
Sitting Congress MLA from Kasba, Mohammad Afaque Alam, upon being denied a ticket, levelled a serious allegation against the Bihar Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Rajesh Ram, and Congress Legislative Party leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan. Alleging that the senior leadership of the Bihar Congress was extorting money for tickets, Mr. Alam demanded an investigation by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
On Saturday (October 18, 2025) night, the Congress Election Committee had released the names of five more candidates, with the party nominating Mohammad Irfan Alam for the Kasba Assembly constituency, replacing the three-time sitting MLA.
“The party’s clean image has been maligned. I want to very clearly state that money has been extorted by Rajesh Ram, Allavaru, and Shakeel Ahamed Khan. There are some other leaders as well who have made the Mahagathbandhan (‘Grand Alliance’) impure. Rahul Gandhi-ji must intervene and investigate into the ticket distribution,” Mr. Afaque Alam said in a video message posted on social media.
Later in the day, an audio clip, purportedly of Mr. Afaque Alam speaking to Mr. Ram on a phone call, went viral on social media. In the audio clip, Mr. Afaque Alam is heard requesting the BPCC president to intervene and speak to the party’s top leaders in Delhi to give him the ticket.
In the audio clip, Mr. Ram is heard expressing his helplessness, and saying that he had already given his best, and had even signed his document, but some people in the party were engaged in “other ways around”. His hands were tied, Mr. Ram is further heard saying in the audio clip, adding that the top party leadership was not “not listening to him”.
Mr. Ram is heard saying Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav was also involved in the selection of Mr. Irfan Alam, who is reportedly close to the MP. On Friday, a video of Mr. Pappu Yadav and Mr. Irfan Alam went viral on social media. The Kasba Assembly constituency falls under the Purnea district.
On Saturday, Anand Madhab, spokesperson and chairman of the BPCC’s research department, quit the post with immediate effect. Disgruntled party leaders, including a sitting MLA and a former MLA, had accused Mr. Allavaru and Mr. Ram of “selling party tickets”.
Similar situations played out in the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Madan Prasad, who contested the previous Assembly election from the Madhuban Assembly constituency, was seen crying for a ticket. Mr. Prasad tore his kurta outside former Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s residence, and lay down on the road.
Mr. Prasad alleged that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s political advisor and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Yadav had denied him the ticket because he hadn’t paid what was demanded. “He told me to give ₹2.7 crore for the ticket but I refused — Sanjay Yadav has sold the ticket,” Mr. Prasad alleged.
Upset over the denial of the ticket, another RJD leader, Ritu Jaiswal, who contested the 2020 Assembly election from the Parihar Assembly seat, said she would contest as an independent candidate. “My conscience does not accept contesting the Assembly election from any constituency other than Parihar. I have clearly informed the party leadership that if the party does not change its decision, I will contest the election from Parihar as an independent candidate,” Ms. Jaiswal posted on social media platform X.
The ticket has been given to Smita Purve, daughter-in-law of former RJD State president Ramchandra Purve.
Ms. Jaiswal confirmed her intention in a later post. “I wish to inform all the respected voters of the Parihar Assembly constituency that I am going to file my nomination as an independent [candidate] from the Parihar Assembly constituency tomorrow morning. I request all my friends, well-wishers, and supporters to attend in large numbers and bestow their blessings,” Ms. Jaiswal said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary took a dig at the INDIA bloc. “It’s not known whether the alliance has been formed or not. The big question is whether the Mahagathbandhan exists or not,” Mr. Choudhary said.
Published – October 19, 2025 09:00 pm IST
