Congress Plots Power Grab in Bihar, BJP Hits Back

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday accused the Congress of orchestrating a strategic power grab in Bihar by holding its Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in the state after an 85-year hiatus. According to senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Congress is maneuvering to seize the "driving seat" from its allies, particularly the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. However, Prasad confidently asserted that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would secure another mandate, as voters remain wary of the RJD’s past governance marked by "fear, kidnapping, and corruption" under Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The CWC meeting, held in Patna, has stirred political waters, with the BJP claiming it’s a calculated move by Congress to demand a larger share of seats in the opposition alliance for the state polls. Prasad, addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, pointed out that the Congress has refrained from projecting RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the opposition’s chief ministerial candidate, signaling internal jostling for dominance. He referenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent "Voter Adhikar Yatra" in Bihar, where Tejashwi appeared to play a secondary role, further fueling speculation of Congress’s intent to assert control.

Prasad didn’t hold back in his critique, slamming Congress for its silence during the RJD’s controversial rule in Bihar, which he described as an era plagued by caste-based massacres, rampant kidnappings, and financial scams. "The people of Bihar haven’t forgotten the dark days of Lalu Prasad’s governance," he remarked, emphasizing that the NDA’s developmental achievements under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would resonate with voters. He predicted a resounding victory for the NDA, dismissing Congress’s ambitions as a pipe dream.

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The CWC meeting saw Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launch a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of "vote chori" (vote theft) and fostering communal polarization to cling to power. Kharge boldly claimed that the Bihar elections would mark the "beginning of the end" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "corrupt rule." He also took a swipe at Nitish Kumar, alleging that the BJP has sidelined the Janata Dal (United) leader, treating him as a "mentally retired" burden due to internal strife within the NDA.

Prasad hit back at Kharge’s remarks, calling them "unfair" and urging the Congress president to introspect about his own position within a party where "the levers of power are with someone else"—a thinly veiled jab at the influence of the Gandhi family. "Such comments against a sitting chief minister are unbecoming," Prasad added, maintaining a tone of restraint while defending Kumar’s leadership.

The political sparring underscores the high stakes in Bihar, a state with a complex history of coalition politics and shifting allegiances. As the Congress seeks to reassert its relevance in a state where it has long been overshadowed by regional players like the RJD and JD(U), the BJP is banking on its developmental narrative and the NDA’s unity to retain power. With the assembly elections looming, this clash of titans sets the stage for a fierce electoral battle, where voter sentiment—shaped by memories of the past and promises for the future—will ultimately decide the winner.

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