Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the alliance between the ruling Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar on Sunday, calling it "opportunistic." He accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of switching sides only for 'kursi' (CM's post).
Speaking at the Congress rally titled 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' held at Dalsagar Stadium in Buxar, Kharge urged the people of Bihar to vote out the NDA government in the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for later this year.
JDP-BJP alliance not good for people of state
The Congress chief said, "The alliance between Nitish Kumar and the BJP is opportunistic. It is not good for the people of the state. Nitish Kumar switches sides just for 'kursi' (CM's post). The JD(U) chief has joined hands with the ideology that killed Mahatma Gandhi."
Kharge also questioned what happened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package for Bihar, accusing the PM of operating a 'factory of lies.' "People of Bihar must ask Nitish Kumar what happened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of Rs 1.25 lakh crore package for Bihar, which he had made on August 18, 2015? Modi Ji is running a factory of lies," Kharge claimed.
He further said that the NDA government must be removed in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections and urged the public to support the 'Mahagathbandhan' parties in the next state polls.
On ED chargesheet against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi
On the recent charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Kharge said, "This has been done to target Congress. Our leaders can’t be scared. Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the country."
The Congress chief also alleged that the RSS and the BJP are "not in favour of the welfare of weaker sections of society".
"They are against the poor, women, and the weaker sections of society….they (RSS-BJP) can’t think for the betterment of society. They believe in dividing society based on caste and religion," he claimed.
"The Waqf (Amendment) Bill passed by Parliament is a conspiracy of the BJP and the RSS to create divide among communities," he alleged.
Bihar elections 2025
The Bihar Assembly elections for all 243 seats are anticipated to take place between October and November 2025. Although the Election Commission has not yet announced the official dates, political activity in the state is already intensifying, with major parties gearing up for what is expected to be a closely fought battle.
The last assembly elections were conducted in October–November 2020, resulting in the formation of a government by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with Nitish Kumar assuming the role of Chief Minister. However, in August 2022, Kumar's Janata Dal (United) severed ties with the NDA and allied with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan to form a new government. In another political shift, JD(U) broke away from the Mahagathbandhan in January 2024 and once again joined forces with the BJP-led NDA to form the government.
(With PTI inputs)
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