Rahul Starts Bihar Poll Campaign Attacking Modi, BJP Hits Back
Hitting back, the BJP said that Gandhi was “speaking the language of a local goon” and had insulted every person who voted for the Prime Minister.
New Delhi: Kickstarting the Bihar election campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a fierce attack on the ruling NDA and its “star campaigner,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi, alleged that Modi could do “anything for votes” and reiterated his charge that the BJP steals elections.
Hitting back, the BJP said that Gandhi was “speaking the language of a local goon” and had insulted every person who voted for the Prime Minister.
Campaigning in Darbhanga for the Bihar Assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of controlling the Nitish Kumar-led state government.
“There’s no Yamuna there; it’s just a pond,” he said. “Narendra Modi went to bathe in his swimming pool. He has nothing to do with the Yamuna or with Chhath Puja. He just wants your vote. If you tell Narendra Modi to dance, he will dance. They are engaged in stealing your votes. They stole elections in Maharashtra, they stole elections in Haryana, and they will try their best in Bihar,” Gandhi said, addressing a public meeting.
In a post on X, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, “Rahul Gandhi speaks like a ‘local goon’. He has insulted every poor person in India and Bihar who voted for Prime Minister Modi. Rahul Gandhi has mocked voters and Indian democracy.”
Calling Modi’s plan to take a dip in the Yamuna River during Chhath Puja a “drama,” Gandhi alleged that special arrangements were made for the Prime Minister as the river is heavily polluted. “Anyone who drinks Yamuna water will get sick or die,” he said.
“You must have seen the drama on TV that Modi was going to take a dip in the Yamuna for Chhath Puja. It was cancelled when it was exposed that a puddle had been formed with clean, piped water since the river is so dirty,” Gandhi added.
Referring to the voter roll revision exercise in Bihar, which reportedly saw nearly 66 lakh names deleted, he urged voters to support the Grand Alliance, promising an inclusive government. “They will try their best to ensure that a government with the voice of Bihar is not formed. But we guarantee a government for every class, caste, and religion in Bihar. We will not leave anyone behind,” he said.
Targeting the BJP’s economic policies, Rahul Gandhi accused the government of destroying small businesses through demonetisation and the GST regime.
Responding to his remarks, BJP leader Nalin Kohli said Rahul Gandhi “often uses inappropriate words” and that many of his party colleagues “use similar language” when referring to the Prime Minister. “But the public will decide. The people are consistently voting for Prime Minister Modi and his government. Given our double-engine government, people continue to support us,” he said.
As the first phase of polling draws near in Bihar, the campaign rhetoric is expected to grow increasingly intense in the coming days.