Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: BJP considers Nitish a ‘burden’, I.N.D.I.A. bloc will fulfil ‘Golden Bihar’ dream, says Kharge

Congress chief said Assembly polls in Bihar will “prove to be a milestone” for entire country, as the “countdown for the end of Modi government” will start from the state.

New Delhi: Promising to fulfill people’s “dream of a Golden Bihar”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the JD(U)-BJP government in the state saying internal strife in NDA is now out in the open and the BJP has “mentally retired” Nitish Kumar who they consider a “burden”.

In his opening remarks at the meeting of Extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) at Sadaqat Bhavan in Patna, Kharge said the upcoming Assembly elections will “prove to be a milestone” not only for Bihar but the entire country, as the “countdown for the end of Modi government” will start from the state.

He said people of Bihar want “development-oriented” politics that provide long term solutions on jobs, social justice and good governance and “not BJP’s religious polarisation”, as he alleged that governance and administration have “long been on vacation” in Bihar where loot and murder is taking place on a daily basis while education and health system have “completely collapsed”.

“I want the bugle for Bihar’s reconstruction to be blown from here today. Congress, together with its alliance partners, will provide employment, education, healthcare, social justice, and good governance. The people of Bihar have long dreamt of a ‘Golden Bihar’, and together we will fulfill this dream,” he said.

In apparent reference to ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ politics of changing sides, he said the BJP supported “aya Nitish, gaya Nitish Kumar” in 2024 with the JD(U) promising development but the claim of ‘double-engine’ government has proved “hollow” with no special package for the state, unemployment rising above 15%, rampant paper leaks and worsening condition of farmers.

He claimed Modi promised revival of the sugarcane industry but it has turned out to be “false”.

“I want the bugle for Bihar’s reconstruction to be blown from here today. Congress, together with its alliance partners, will provide employment, education, healthcare, social justice, and good governance. The people of Bihar have long dreamt of a ‘Golden Bihar’, and together we will fulfill this dream,” he said.

On Bihar, he claimed that the claim of ‘double-engine’ government has proved “hollow” with no special package for the state, unemployment rising above 15 per cent, rampant paper leaks and worsening condition of farmers. He claimed Modi promised revival of the sugarcane industry but it has turned out to be “false”.

“Internal conflicts within the NDA alliance are now out in the open. BJP has mentally retired Nitish Kumar. Now BJP considers him a burden,” he charged.

Warning that BJP-led governments at the Centre and states “keep looking for opportunities to stoke religious polarisation and communal sentiments”, he said, “today our country is grappling with many problems – economic slowdown, unemployment, social polarization, and the weakening of autonomous constitutional institutions through targeted attacks.”

Kharge was also critical of the NDA’s approach to caste census, asking what was preventing Modi from giving Constitutional protection to 65% reservation, as he drew a parallel to the Congress government putting the 69% quota regime of Tamil Nadu in Schedule 9 in the 1990s.

Finding fault with UP government’s order to ban caste rallies, he asked whether it was right to jail people who protest against injustice and atrocities inflicted upon them and Modi should answer this question.

He said “serious questions” are being raised on the impartiality and transparency of the Election Commission, which instead of providing answers is asking “affidavits from us” when revelations from different states have proved “vote theft”. He claimed a “conspiracy” is being hatched across India to delete millions of names from voters’ lists.

“Stealing votes means stealing the ration, pensions, medicines, children’s scholarships, and exam opportunities of Dalits, tribals, backward classes, extremely backward classes, minorities, the weak, and the poor,” he said.

On the economy front, he said the promise of two crore jobs remains “unfulfilled” while demonetisation and a “flawed” GST have derailed the economy. 

“After eight years, Modi has realised his mistake. Now, the same reforms have been introduced in GST that the Congress had been demanding from day one. Modi believes that citizens should spend more. But when in the last 10 years incomes have not increased, only inflation has, then how can people spend more?” he asked.

In an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump's recent statements and actions, he said India's problems at the international level are the result of diplomatic failure of Modi and his government and “the very friends whom the Prime Minister boasts about as ‘my friends’ are today putting India in numerous troubles”.