Despite a disappointing overall performance in the Bihar assembly elections where the Congress managed to win only six seats as part of the Grand Alliance, two particular victories have emerged as significant milestones for the party. The wins in Forbesganj of Araria district and Chanpatia in West Champaran stand out for their historical importance and the manner in which they were achieved.
Congress Makes Strategic Gains Amid Overall Setback
The Congress party secured six MLAs in this year's elections, with four coming from the Seemanchal region and two from the Champaran region. Manoj Biswas triumphed in Forbesganj, while Abidur Rahman won in Araria, Mohammad Qamrul Hoda secured Kishanganj, and Manohar Prasad Singh captured Manihari from Seemanchal. From Champaran, Abhishek Ranjan emerged victorious in Chanpatia alongside Surendra Prasad who won Valmikinagar. The party had fielded a total of 61 candidates across the state.
What makes the Forbesganj and Chanpatia victories particularly remarkable is that both were achieved by political debutants who defeated experienced BJP legislators. Manoj Biswas overcame two-time sitting BJP MLA Vidya Sagar Keshri, while Abhishek Ranjan defeated Umakant Singh, another two-term BJP representative in their respective constituencies.
Historic Shift in Forbesganj After 35 Years
The defeat felt especially sharp for BJP workers in Forbesganj, which has been a preferred rally site for Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the past eleven years. PM Modi had addressed a rally in Forbesganj on November 6, the day of first-phase polling in other districts, and another in Bettiah on November 9, just two days before second-phase polling.
Biswas's victory marks a watershed moment in Forbesganj's political history as it ended 35 years of BJP dominance in the constituency. Except for a brief interruption in 2000 when BSP's Zakir Hussain Khan won the seat, the BJP had maintained control since 1990. Four BJP candidates – Mayanand Thakur, Lakshmi Narayan Mehta, Padam Parag Renu and Vidya Sagar Keshri – had won the seat seven times from 1990 onwards, with three of them securing two terms each.
Some political observers believe that Biswas's narrow win over Keshri by just 221 votes may indicate a long-term political shift in the region. They suggest that the BJP could see diminished influence in a future scenario where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is no longer leading within the NDA framework, noting that before 2005, the BJP's independent reach in Bihar had been limited.
Congress Reclaims Historical Strongholds
The victory also represents a reconnection with Congress's historical legacy in Forbesganj. The party has now won the seat nine times, including victories in 1952 and 1957. Former Congress MLA Saryu Mishra had won the seat seven times consecutively from 1962. Reflecting the party's evolving social base, Biswas belongs to the extremely backward caste category and is only the second MLA from that bloc after Bokai Mandal, who was elected in 1952.
Similarly, Abhishek Ranjan's victory in Chanpatia cuts across the constituency's diverse ideological history. The Congress has represented the seat five times up to 2025, while socialist and 'janata parivar' parties have won four times, the CPI three times, and the BJP six times between 2000 and 2020.
These strategic victories, though limited in number, demonstrate that the Congress still retains the capacity to make significant inroads in specific constituencies despite its overall diminished presence in Bihar politics. The wins by political newcomers against established BJP legislators suggest that local factors and candidate selection continue to play crucial roles in determining electoral outcomes, even in the face of national-level political narratives.
