On a day of multiple political developments in poll-bound Bihar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday claimed that the BJP has “mentally retired” Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and now considers him a “liability.” He added that the upcoming Assembly elections would mark the beginning of the end of the Narendra Modi government’s “corrupt rule” at the Centre.
While BJP leaders alleged a rift in the Congress-RJD ‘mahagathbandhan’ over seat-sharing and the chief ministerial face, Congress leader Pawan Khera dropped a strong hint that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav could be projected as the alliance’s CM candidate. At the CWC meeting in Patna, Khera said: “We are contesting on issues. Faces are in front of you. All is known to everyone. You are asking a question, to which the answer is already known… When the Sun is shining bright in the sky, you do not need to declare it.”
Khera dismissed claims by NDA leaders that holding the CWC meeting in Patna was a “show of strength” in a state where Congress is perceived as a declining force. “There is no show of strength among brothers,” he said.
On the decision to host the CWC in Bihar for the first time since Independence, Khera remarked: “Even vote theft has taken place for the first time. The CWC in Bihar is not just about state elections but about strengthening the foundations of democracy.” He further confirmed that details of seat-sharing within the INDIA alliance — comprising CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(M), CPI, and Mukesh Sahni’s Vikassheel Insan Party — would be announced soon.
However, reports suggest tensions between the Congress and RJD over seat distribution. Buoyed by the response to Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra, the Congress is demanding 70 seats — the same number it contested in the 2020 polls, when it won only 19. The RJD is reportedly willing to concede around 50 seats, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has asked Congress to submit its list of candidates, according to reports
At the CWC, the Congress passed multiple resolutions addressing both domestic and global issues. Focusing on Bihar, Kharge targeted the NDA government formed in January 2024 when the BJP extended support to Nitish Kumar again. “The Nitish government promised development, but Bihar’s economy continues to lag. The ‘double engine’ claim proved hollow, with no special package from the Centre,” Kharge said.
“Internal strife within the NDA alliance is now openly visible. Nitish Kumar has been mentally retired by the BJP, which considers him a liability,” he added. Projecting the upcoming polls as a turning point, Kharge declared: “The 2025 Assembly elections will be a milestone not only for Bihar but for the entire country. This will mark the countdown to the end of the Modi government’s corrupt rule.”
