New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a strong attack on the Congress and the RJD during an election rally in Bhagalpur on Thursday, accusing both parties of harming Bihar through caste based and communal politics. He said the Congress would never be able to escape responsibility for the Bhagalpur massacre, one of the worst episodes of violence in the state’s history.
Modi told the gathering that while the RJD pushed Bihar into caste tensions, the Congress encouraged communal unrest. He said the Bhagalpur killings, along with the anti Sikh violence of the 1980s, remain permanent marks on the party’s record. According to him, the political approach of the previous governments forced generations of young people from Bihar to migrate in search of work, holding back the state’s growth. He said the NDA’s commitment is to create opportunities within Bihar so that its youth can contribute to the state’s progress.
The Prime Minister also claimed the two parties in the opposition alliance were struggling with internal distrust. He pointed to campaign posters that highlight RJD leaders while giving little space to Congress leaders, and said Congress rallies omit references to RJD figures. According to Modi, this reflects a wider discomfort within the alliance, which he described as unable to function as a unified front. He also accused Congress leaders of staying silent whenever the RJD announces policy promises.
Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a rally in Araria, where he repeated his criticism of the opposition. He also referred to remarks by a Congress leader who reportedly called Chhath a form of drama. Modi said this was an insult to the devotion shown by women who observe the festival’s strict fasts. He added that women in Bihar would never allow the return of what he described as jungle raj.
Commenting on the ongoing first phase of voting, the Prime Minister said the turnout and enthusiasm reflected public support for the NDA. He noted that long queues of women and young voters were visible across the state. Bhagalpur and Araria will vote in the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 11.
