Senior Congress Leader Shakeel Ahmad Quits Amidst Bihar Election Fallout

Patna: Senior Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad has resigned from the party's primary membership as the polling for the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections 2025 concluded on Tuesday. The former Minister of State for Home Affairs in the UPA government cited differences with fellow party leaders as the reason behind his decision, giving a massive jolt to the Congress party ahead of the results for the Bihar assembly elections.

Shakeel Ahmad, a five-time MLA and MP, has been a stalwart of the Congress party, with a family legacy of serving the party dating back to the pre-independence era. His grandfather, Ahmad Ghafoor, was elected as a Congress MLA in 1937, followed by his father, Shakoor Ahmad, who served as a Congress MLA five times between 1952 and 1977. Shakeel Ahmad himself has been elected five times as an MLA and MP on the Congress ticket since 1985.

In his resignation letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Ahmad expressed his commitment to the party's policies and principles, despite his differences with certain people currently in power within the party. "I have decided to resign with a heavy heart, but I will continue to support the party's policies and principles," he stated.

Shakeel Ahmad clarified that his decision to resign was not driven by a desire to join another political organization. "I have no intention of joining any other party, and I will remain a well-wisher and supporter of the Congress party for life," he affirmed.

The timing of the Congress leader's resignation is important as it came on the day after the conclusion of the second phase of the Bihar assembly elections. While Ahmad maintained that he had decided to quit earlier, he chose to announce it only after the polling concluded to avoid any adverse impact on the party's prospects.

Ahmad's resignation has dealt a massive blow to the Congress party in Bihar, with the party already facing challenges in the state.