PATNA, Nov. 20 -- Amid mounting demands for fixing responsibility for the party's humiliating performance in Bihar assembly elections, veteran Congress leader Katihar MP Tariq Anwar has called for the immediate convening of the party's extended working committee meeting of Bihar Congress to thoroughly examine the reasons behind the defeat and formulate short-term corrective measures as well as a long-term strategy for reviving the organisation in the state. Speaking to HT on Wednesday, Anwar acknowledged that allegations of "vote theft" might have played a role in the crushing setback, but insisted there were likely deeper issues that needed urgent attention. "The party must decide how to lead the organisational rebuilding drive, which will require four to five years of sustained and rigorous efforts," he said. Anwar's warning underscores a stark reality: rebuilding the Congress in Bihar from its current near-zero grassroots presence will demand years of relentless, honest work - a candid acknowledgement that the party's cadre base and voter support have eroded severely over decades. The recently concluded Bihar elections inflicted one of the Congress's poorest showings in recent history, with the party reduced to single-digit seats. Once again contesting as the junior partner in the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan - and scrambling for seats until the final moment - the Congress saw its vote share slip to 8.71%, down from the already low 9.48% in 2020 . The historical trend paints a grim picture. Ever since the Congress abandoned independent contestation in Bihar and embraced alliance politics as a survival strategy from the mid-1990s, its statewide vote share has stubbornly remained below double digits in every Assembly election: Senior leaders argue that perpetually playing second fiddle to the RJD has demoralised Congress workers while allowing the Yadav-dominated RJD to consolidate Muslim and backward-class votes that traditionally formed part of the Congress's broader social coalition. Former AICC member Kishore Kumar Jha was blunt in his criticism: "The RJD never wanted a strong Congress in Bihar. They kept us in suspense during seat-sharing negotiations, forced us to contest against their own rebels and splinter groups on several seats, and ensured we stayed marginal. Had we relied on our core leaders and cadres instead of pleading for leftovers, our vote share would have grown significantly." Several AICC functionaries indicated that Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru and state president Rajesh Ram were almost certain to be held accountable, as the party high command can no longer ignore the widespread outrage. "The high command relies solely on inputs from the state in-charge and PCC chief. There is no alternative channel for grassroots workers or even leaders to reach Rahul Gandhi or Kharge. This opaque, one-way system has triggered a massive exodus of dedicated cadres over the years," an AICC leader said ....