Congress leader Rahul Gandhi kicked off his Bihar election campaign with a fiery speech in Muzaffarpur, where he launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Drawing attention to the recently concluded Chhath Puja, Gandhi mocked the Prime Minister for taking a dip in a “specially made pond” while devotees in Delhi prayed in a polluted Yamuna. “If you tell Narendra Modi to dance for votes, he will dance on stage,” he quipped, accusing the PM of doing anything for political gain. His comments drew loud reactions from the crowd, setting a charged tone for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Continuing his attack, Gandhi criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming that despite two decades in power, he had failed to uplift the backward classes. He alleged that the BJP was using Nitish Kumar as a “remote-controlled CM” and accused the NDA of stealing elections in other states. Gandhi warned the people of Bihar about similar attempts being made in their state, referring to the deletion of 66 lakh names from the voter rolls. Promising change, he vowed that the Grand Alliance would form a government that represents every class, caste, and religion in Bihar.

Shifting focus to economic issues, Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP government for policies like demonetisation and GST, which he said destroyed small businesses and job opportunities. He emphasized that India must move away from being a market for Chinese goods and instead focus on “Made in Bihar” manufacturing to empower local youth. The Congress MP also promised to revive Bihar’s legacy as a “global learning hub,” recalling the UPA government’s efforts to restore Nalanda University. His speech marked the beginning of a high-stakes campaign where the opposition is positioning itself as a voice of social justice and economic revival.