Bihar Elections 2025: PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi lock horns in high-profile campaign

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 30 (ANI): As the Bihar Assembly elections heat up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi engaged in a battle of words. With the state's 7.43 crore eligible voters set to decide the fate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan, the stakes are high in the November 6 and 11 polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Chhapra, launched a scathing attack on Congress for insulting the people of Bihar in other states, recalling the incident of former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's statement in 2022, which also marked the presence of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The Prime Minister noted that, despite the insult to the Bihari people, Priyanka Gandhi was smiling during the incident.
In 2022, during an election campaign event in Punjab, Channi had urged people not to allow "bhaiyas" from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to enter the state. While Channi gave the remarks, Priyanka Gandhi was also standing beside him.

"Friends, I want to remind you -- those with the lantern (RJD), the hand (Congress), and their INDIA alliance partners, how they have insulted Bihar. The Congress Chief Minister in Punjab openly declared that people from Bihar would not be allowed to enter his state. He made this statement during a public speech. At that time, on the stage, a daughter of the Gandhi family who nowadays sits in Parliament was clapping happily over this," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister stated that Congress and other INDIA bloc parties insult the Bihari people in their respective states, following which the Congress party called them for an election campaign in Bihar itself. He called it a calculated conspiracy by the Congress, so that RJD could suffer in Bihar.
Citing the misgovernance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress party in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Muzaffarpur described their rule in five words, stating "Katta, Kroorta, Katuta, Kushasan and Corruption."
"RJD-Congress can be identified by five things. What have the RJD-Congress done? I will tell you about these five words- Katta, Kroorta, Katuta, Kushasan, and Corruption... Where there is 'katta', where cruelty reigns, there the law breaks down," PM Modi said while addressing a rally.
In contrast, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of failing to provide employment opportunities and quality healthcare in Bihar.
Addressing a gathering in Bihar's Sheikhpura, Gandhi questioned why the hardworking youth of Bihar are forced to migrate for jobs and medical treatment, asserting that Bihar should once again become India's hub of education and industry.
"A city like Dubai was built by the hard work of the people of Bihar. When you are working so hard, why are you not getting employment? What is the reason that Bihar's youth go to other states to do manual labour, but they cannot get work in Bihar? Second question: for medical treatment, why do you have to go from Bihar to AIIMS Delhi -- why can't you get treated in Bihar? Bihar used to be a centre of education long ago; it should become one again. There should be the world's best university in Nalanda, the whole country should know that the best education is available in Bihar," Rahul Gandhi said.
In Bihar's Nalanda, Rahul said that during the 1971 war, Indira Gandhi did not fear or bow before the United States. In contrast, Prime Minister Modi neither has a "vision" nor the "ability" to stand up to the US President Donald Trump.
"During the 1971 war in the Bangladesh struggle, America sent its aircraft and navy to intimidate and threaten India. Indira Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister, said we are not afraid of your navy, do what you must, we will do what we must," Gandhi said.
"Indira Gandhi was a woman, but she had more guts than this man. Narendra Modi is cowardly. He has neither a vision nor the ability to stand up to the President of America. I challenge him: if Narendra Modi has the courage, then at any meeting in Bihar, he should say that the President of America is lying and that he (PM Modi) did not bow to him and that he did not stop Operation Sindoor. He cannot do that," Rahul Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, Shah in Lakhisarai, asserted that there has been "no accusation of even four annas worth of corruption" levelled against Prime Minister Narendra Modi after 11 years in office or Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after 20 years of governance.

He urged voters to back the NDA to ensure every penny of public money reaches the poor.
Addressing a massive election rally in Lakhisarai district ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls, Shah launched a scathing attack on the opposition RJD-Congress combine, accusing them of perpetuating "jungle raj" and dynastic politics while indulging in massive scams.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and Union Minister JP Nadda said the people of Bihar can see "acchhe din" when they remember the "bure din," as he aimed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and praised the state's transformation under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Addressing an election rally in Nalanda ahead of polling for the Bihar Assembly elections, Nadda said that Bihar has moved away from the days of "Jungle Raj" and is now witnessing rapid development under consistent and stable governance.
"You (the people of Bihar) can see 'acchhe din' when you remember 'bure din'. You must have seen that 20 years ago, this same Bihar was in darkness from the '90s until 2005. This was the Bihar of 'Jungle Raj'. This was a troubled Bihar. Today, with the blessings of PM Modi and the hard work of CM Nitish Kumar, we see a transformed Bihar which is taking a leap towards development. Bihar was once referred to as a 'Bimaru' state. Today, Bihar is preparing to be among the leading states," Nadda said.
NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).
The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results for both will be declared on November 14. (ANI)