Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ignited a political storm in Bihar on Wednesday with a controversial remark claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would “dance” for votes. Speaking at a campaign rally, Gandhi accused the ruling BJP of voter manipulation, alleging collusion with the Election Commission to steal elections in states including Maharashtra, Haryana, and now Bihar. His sharp jibes set the tone for Congress’ election campaign alongside Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ally Tejashwi Yadav.

The BJP reacted swiftly, condemning Gandhi’s comments as an insult to Indian voters and democracy. Party leaders labeled the Congress MP’s statement as the behavior of a “local goon” and accused him of mocking every citizen who supported the Prime Minister. Home Minister Amit Shah used the incident to reinforce the BJP narrative, highlighting Gandhi’s earlier “Voter Adhikar Yatra” and portraying it as an attempt to create distrust in the election process.

Gandhi also criticized the Prime Minister over reports of a specially constructed pond on the Yamuna River in Delhi, used for performing Chhath Puja rituals. Gandhi mocked the arrangement, saying, “There is no Yamuna there… it’s a pond. He went to bathe in his swimming pool. He has nothing to do with the Yamuna or Chhath Puja,” drawing attention to what he called symbolic theatrics.

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RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the opposition’s chief ministerial candidate, focused on election promises rather than personal attacks. At his rally, Yadav pledged Rs 500 cooking gas cylinders and 200 free units of electricity per household. He also took a subtle dig at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing his government of being controlled by the BJP through “remote control,” highlighting the opposition’s efforts to question the ruling alliance’s autonomy.

The campaign has also stirred controversy over the legacy of socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, as Gandhi was self-declared “Jan Nayak” by the Congress, drawing criticism from the ruling alliance. Hindustan Awam Morcha chief Jitan Manjhi dismissed the claim, saying such titles should be given by the people, not self-assumed. With Bihar’s elections set for November 6 and results on November 14, the controversy is likely to dominate headlines in the state’s high-stakes political battle.

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