New Delhi: As Bihar gears up for its assembly elections, the political temperature soared with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) launching a scathing attack on the Opposition for alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a Congress-led ‘Voter Rights Yatra’ in Darbhanga.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha led the charge, condemning the remarks as an insult to India’s democratic ethos, while the NDA kicked off the second phase of its workers’ conference, rallying supporters to secure a resounding victory under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership.
A Storm Over Words
The controversy erupted after a Congress event in Darbhanga, where speakers, including a supporter from Muzaffarpur, allegedly used offensive language against Modi. Sinha called the incident “shameful,” describing it as an affront not just to the Prime Minister but to the nation’s constitutional dignity. “This isn’t about one person — it’s an attack on India’s democratic system,” he said, accusing the Congress and its allies of resorting to “troll army tactics” and “linguistic violence” out of desperation. He warned that Bihar’s people would not tolerate such “anarchic behaviour.”
Echoing Sinha, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief and state minister Dr Santosh Suman labelled the Opposition’s actions as a sign of frustration. “Rahul Gandhi and his allies have lost their mental balance in their lust for power,” Suman said, pointing to remarks made at a Muzaffarpur event by a prospective candidate, Mohammad Naushad, as evidence of the Opposition’s “sinking morale.” He accused the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of turning the Voter Rights Yatra into a platform for “abuse and indecency.”
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai went further, demanding an apology from Congress and RJD leaders. “The people of Bihar will not forgive those who insult the world’s most popular Prime Minister from Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav’s stage,” Rai said, criticising Gandhi for failing to uphold the dignity of his role as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He accused the Opposition of trivialising the Constitution, which they carry as a prop, while disrespecting the Prime Minister’s constitutional office.
NDA’s Governance Vs Opposition’s ‘Empty Promises’
Amid the war of words, the NDA used its workers’ conference in Barari to highlight its governance achievements under Nitish Kumar. Janata Dal (United) spokesperson Dr Nihora Prasad Yadav contrasted the NDA’s focus on development with the Opposition’s alleged history of corruption. “Power is a tool for uplifting the deprived, not for personal gain,” Yadav said, crediting Kumar with transforming Bihar over the past 20 years through initiatives in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social justice. “Unlike Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, who used power for family enrichment, Nitish Kumar has empowered every section of society.”
JDU state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha, addressing the Barari conference, urged workers to unite for Kumar’s re-election, citing his “justice with development” model. He mocked the Opposition’s recent “political tourism” in Seemanchal, where leaders rode bullet bikes on roads built by Kumar’s government— roads once infamous for potholes. “The Opposition enjoys the fruits of our progress but offers only slogans,” Kushwaha said, predicting that the NDA’s “storm” would sweep away the Opposition in the polls.
Mobilising For Victory
The NDA’s second phase of workers’ conferences, which began on Thursday and will continue until August 30, aims to galvanise support across 80 assembly constituencies. JDU national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad announced that by September 8, conferences will cover 122 constituencies, reaching half of Bihar’s electorate. “The energy at these gatherings reflects our resolve to win 225 seats,” Prasad said, contrasting the NDA’s grassroots mobilisation with the opposition’s “hollow” Voter Rights Yatra.
The NDA’s campaign narrative centres on Kumar’s legacy of inclusive development and Modi’s national vision, positioning Bihar as a cornerstone of a “Viksit Bharat.” Leaders highlighted schemes for girls’ education, farmers’ welfare, youth employment, and poverty alleviation as proof of effective governance, accusing the RJD-Congress alliance of a legacy tainted by scams and mismanagement.