Race hots up for Bihar Cong chief's post

With the buzz around organisational changes in the Congress growing louder, lobbying has begun for the party chief's post in Bihar. Aurangzeb Naqshbandi reports.

With the buzz around organisational changes in the Congress growing louder, lobbying has begun for the party chief's post in Bihar. The incumbent, Mehboob Ali Kaiser, had submitted his resignation to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi soon after the party's defeat in 2010 assembly polls. He was asked to continue till alternate arrangements were made.


With Rahul Gandhi taking over as the party vice-president, state leaders are optimistic that they would soon get a new chief who will lead the Congress in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The party has now intensified its search for a fresh face, prompting lobbying by various leaders.

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Brahmin leaders have staked claim to the job, arguing that no one from the community has held the post since 1991. Jagannath Mishra was the last Brahmin president of the Bihar Congress.

A few state leaders were of the view that the possibility of Muslim and Dalit votes shifting to the Congress appears high in case a Brahmin was handed over the reins.