Coalition conundrum haunts Congress

This poll, Cong seems to have regained confidence in Bihar, writes Pallavi.

Sadaqat Ashram — the Congress party headquarters in Bihar — has undergone a perceptible change these days.

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The hallowed premises are swelling with zealous party workers and leaders, rushing in a cavalcade of cars. In the vicinity, a stall has been set up for sale of party flags and caps.

Large portraits of party's veterans have taken centrestage, punctuated by posters of party chief Sonia Gandhi.

The festive mood marks a sharp contrast when compared to the silent corridors of the party office during the last Lok Sabha elections. Once considered a parallel power centre in Bihar, the party headquarters had gradually lost its political clout to Lalu Prasad's RJD, heralding a 15-year spell of caste-based politics.

But during this year's assembly polls, the grand old party seems to have regained confidence. Party leader Ram Bhuj Kishore Jha claims the number of grassroot workers in Congress has gone up since the last Lok Sabha polls.

So, not only Sonia Gandhi has extensively campaigned in the state, the party has also fielded its actors-turned-politicians in the campaign blitz. Jha insists the assembly polls this year are crucial to the grand old party, since it is contesting on 83 seats in Bihar.