The election fever has gripped Bihar. The first phase of voting is scheduled for November 6, and campaigning will continue until November 4. With just a week to go, the Mahagathbandhan camp appears to be in disarray. On one side, PM Modi, HM Amit Shah, and CM Nitish Kumar are holding rallies almost every day for the NDA. On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi seen as the face of the Opposition has pulled off a vanishing scene as the polls approach.

He hasn’t set foot in Bihar for two months. No rallies, no roadshows, not even virtual appearances. His last visit was on September 1, when he came to Patna to mark the end of his “Voter Adhikar Yatra.”

Meanwhile, PM Modi seems to have made Bihar his second home. Rally after rally, each with blistering attacks on the Opposition. During this same period, Rahul Gandhi has been missing in action. The same Rahul Gandhi who traveled across Bihar during the Voter Adhikar Yatra has now disappeared. With nominations for the first phase already over, his absence is no longer just a BJP talking point, even Congress workers are anxious and confused.

Rahul Gandhi’s long absence: Part-time politics or strategic silence?

Rahul Gandhi’s disappearance in the middle of a heated Bihar election feels like a mystery thriller. It’s been two months since September 1, yet he hasn’t returned to Bihar. No rallies, no press conferences, not even virtual support. Meanwhile, leaders like Modi, Amit Shah, and Tejashwi Yadav are campaigning tirelessly on the ground.

Unease is growing within the Congress. A senior Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) official admitted, “Rahul ji revived the party’s spirit through the Voter Adhikar Yatra, but now his absence is costing us dearly. He was seen making ‘imarti’ in Delhi, but not in Bihar.” A Deccan Herald report also highlighted similar concerns that Rahul’s absence is hurting the Mahagathbandhan’s prospects. The debate is raging even on X (formerly Twitter).

AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal tried to calm nerves, saying, “Rahul will come after Chhath Puja. He’ll hold a joint rally with Tejashwi in Muzaffarpur on October 29, and Priyanka Gandhi will arrive on the 28th.” But this sounds like a last-minute patch-up effort. Whether this absence is “part-time politics” or a “smart strategy” will only be clear once the Bihar election results are out.

Why is there silence after the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ buzz?

Let’s rewind to the “Voter Adhikar Yatra” that had created a storm in Bihar. The campaign crisscrossed villages, with Rahul raising questions about EVMs and claiming to expose a “hydrogen bomb of vote theft.” Yet, when the Yatra concluded on September 1 in Patna, it ended on an underwhelming note. No grand finale, no mass address.

And after that? Nothing. The Yatra ended, Rahul returned to Delhi, and Bihar was left to fend for itself. Congress workers feel abandoned. In fact, Rahul’s photos have quietly disappeared from the INDI bloc’s posters in several districts.

A BPCC leader, requesting anonymity, said, “The Yatra brought new energy to the party, but his absence has cooled that enthusiasm.” His vanishing act is hurting the alliance. Congress leaders are urging him to return and campaign. Even if his October 29 rally rekindles some energy, many believe it’s too little, too late. “The Yatra happened, but did he forget there’s an election to fight?” is the sarcastic refrain among voters.

After accepting Tejashwi as CM face, Congress lost steam

The alliance also delayed naming a CM candidate. Lalu Yadav kept pushing for Tejashwi’s name, while Congress kept stalling, even sending Ashok Gehlot to negotiate. Finally, on October 23, Tejashwi Yadav was announced as the chief ministerial face. But after that, Congress simply went cold.

Now, with a joint rally scheduled on October 29, the entire credit is expected to go to the RJD. Congress candidates are disheartened. One candidate, speaking off record, said, “We’re putting up posters and going door to door asking for votes, but people ask where is Rahul ji? They want to hear him speak. Without him, our rallies feel empty.” Many seats still lack proper ground-level preparation.

Political analysts say this is classic Rahul Gandhi style: launch massive events like the Bharat Jodo Yatra, show you are doing something, no matter how vague it is, for the masses, and then go into hibernation. But in elections, that costs dearly. In the 2020 Bihar polls, Congress contested 70 seats and won only 19. The same pattern seems to be repeating. If the Opposition alliance loses again, expect the usual “EVM tampering” blame game to follow.

Rahul’s old habit of “part-time politics” returns?

Congress’s energy in Bihar has clearly fizzled out, and instead of reviving it, Rahul Gandhi was seen making imarti(sweet fritters) in Delhi. The party is in disarray. Candidates are accusing state leaders of demanding money for tickets, and even Pappu Yadav has been accused of influencing ticket distribution. So, where exactly is Rahul Gandhi? What is he doing to unite his party? That’s the question haunting many in Bihar.

Notably, Rahul’s foreign trips have been steadily increasing. In the past nine months, he has made at least six international visits to Texas, Italy, Vietnam, Dubai, Qatar, Malaysia, and South America. These trips often spark controversies. His comments in Virginia about Sikhs and his remarks during his U.S. visit drew widespread criticism. Questions have also been raised about the cost and protocol of these frequent foreign visits.

Even though he hasn’t gone abroad recently, he still remains inactive in Bihar’s election campaign, a silence that even his staunch supporters find puzzling.

Congress spokespersons, however, continue to defend him. Pawan Khera said, “Rahul ji’s schedule is finalized. His rallies are planned in Bihar. We do issue-based politics, not crowd-based politics.”

The BJP has turned Rahul’s absence into a political weapon. BJP spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh said, “Rahul Gandhi doesn’t trust Bihar’s voters and that’s why he’s missing from the battlefield.” His disappearance has now become a major election talking point. Even Congress candidates and supporters are waiting anxiously wondering when Rahul will finally arrive in Bihar to sound the election bugle.

And deep down, many are asking: Has he already missed the bus this time?