Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls would mark the “beginning of the end” of the Modi government’s "corrupt and incompetent rule."
Commenting on Bihar’s political scenario at the CWC meeting held in Patna, Kharge highlighted the rift within the ruling NDA, saying the internal strife was now “out in the open.”
He claimed that the BJP sees Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a liability. “The people of Bihar are rejecting the BJP’s divisive agenda. They want development, not religious polarisation,” he said.
Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led government, accusing them of failing the country on both international and national fronts.
Addressing party leaders, Kharge said India is going through a deeply challenging period, with diplomatic missteps and domestic turmoil reflecting the "complete failure of governance" under the Modi regime.
"Our problems at the international level are the result of diplomatic failure of Narendra Modi and his government. The very friends whom the prime minister boasts about as 'my friends' are today putting India in numerous troubles," Kharge said.
"Today, when our voter list is being officially tampered with, it is essential that we hold our extended CWC meeting in Bihar, the mother of democracy, and reaffirm our pledge to protect this country's democracy and Constitution," the Congress chief said.
Asserting that the foundation of democracy is fair and transparent elections, Kharge said serious questions are being raised today about the fairness and transparency of the Election Commission itself.
Instead of answering questions on the revelations from various states, the EC is demanding affidavits from us, Kharge said.
"Following the example of Bihar, a conspiracy is now being hatched across the country to remove the votes of millions of people," the Congress president said, referring to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.
"Vote theft means theft of rations, pensions, medicine, children's scholarships, and exam fees belonging to Dalits, tribals, backward classes, extremely backward classes, minorities, the weak, and the poor, he said.
The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' raised awareness among the people of Bihar, and they openly came out in support of Rahul Gandhi, he said.
He further pointed to the growing crises of unemployment, social polarisation, and the systematic weakening of constitutional institutions, accusing the Modi government of undermining democracy to protect its political interests.
(With inputs from PTI)