The four-day-long ‘chintan’ (brainstorming) camp of Bihar Congress concluded on Friday during which the partymen expressed their opinion how to revive the party but the fissures in the party also came to fore. The Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) appears to be divided on the issue of contesting election either alone or in alliance.

AICC general secretary and Congress in-charge of Bihar and C P Joshi remained present at the camp.

The purpose behind holding this camp was supposed to end the factionalism in the party and ask the partymen to close rank and file, bury the hatchet and be ready to prepare for Assembly election due in October. But most of the party men who got only three minutes time to speak and suggest ways for reenergising the party vented their ire against their rival faction. Sources said majority of the Congressmen were in favour of not forging alliance but to go alone in the Assembly polls. “Is there anything left for the Congress to lose hereIJ" asked one leader strongly pleading that Congress after a long gap should contest all alone.

Joshi said, "Several party men expressed their views and suggestions and the stress was on expanding our political base in the State." He said all the issues raised would be put before the high command and the AICC session in April would take a call on the suggestions in the interest of the party.

However, Joshi was not very clear on if the party would go alone or prefer alliance with the proposed merged Janata Parivar in Bihar. Party sources said the BPCC president Ashok Chaudhary is in favour of alliance.