Congress Picks Leader Linked to Anti-PM Slogan Row for Bihar Polls
Congress fields controversial Bihar candidate tied to PM insult row.
The Congress party has ignited fresh controversy by selecting Mohammad Naushad as its candidate for the Jale constituency in Darbhanga district for the Bihar assembly elections set for November 6, 2025, with results due on November 14. Naushad, a young leader, was thrust into the spotlight in August when abusive remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late mother were made from the stage of a rally during Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra in Darbhanga. Naushad is scheduled to file his nomination on October 17, 2025, as a local court prepares to hear his bail request in the abuse case on October 18.
The decision to field Naushad has intensified friction within the Congress-RJD alliance, with Jale emerging as a contentious seat amid negotiations for the upcoming polls. The constituency, currently held by BJP’s Jivesh Mishra—a two-time winner and minister in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s government—has become a flashpoint. The August incident, which drew sharp condemnation from the BJP, saw Union Home Minister Amit Shah label it a “stain on our democracy,” while PM Modi described it as “deeply saddening, painful, and distressing.” The BJP accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of fostering such rhetoric, despite Gandhi not being scheduled to attend or stopping at the rally.
Congress defended itself, with spokesperson Pawan Khera alleging that “BJP agents” infiltrated the event to sabotage Gandhi’s yatra and divert attention from its focus on voter rights. The controversy echoes past tensions in Jale, where the Congress’s 2020 nomination of Mashkoor Usmani, a former Aligarh Muslim University Students Union president, was criticized by the BJP over alleged support for a portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, damaging the Congress-RJD alliance’s prospects in the Mithila region. Naushad’s candidacy risks further polarizing voters in a region sensitive to such political flashpoints.
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As Bihar’s election battle heats up, the Congress’s choice of Naushad underscores the high-stakes gamble of its candidate selection strategy. With the BJP seizing the opportunity to amplify its narrative of Congress disrespecting national figures, the Jale contest could shape broader electoral dynamics. The outcome of Naushad’s bail hearing and the public’s response to this controversial nomination will likely reverberate across the state as campaigning intensifies.
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