Muzaffarpur, Bihar: As the highly charged campaign for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 intensifies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a forceful address at a rally in Muzaffarpur today, launched a scathing attack on the opposition Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. The Prime Minister’s primary focus was a direct counter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent controversial remarks on the sacred Chhath Puja festival.
‘Insult to Chhathi Maiyya’: PM Modi Hits Back on Chhath Remark
Prime Minister Modi strongly condemned Rahul Gandhi’s recent jibe, where the Leader of the Opposition mocked the Prime Minister’s reported involvement in Chhath Puja by alleging it was a mere “swimming pool drama.” Gandhi had claimed the clean-up promises for the Yamuna River for the festival were a vote-garnering tactic.
“You have seen that your son (Modi) is busy making the world chant praises for Chhathi Maiyya. On the other hand, these Congress and RJD leaders are insulting Chhathi Maiyya,” the Prime Minister stated, addressing the public. He questioned the crowd, “Can anyone ever insult Chhathi Maiyya just to win votes in an election? Can such an insult be tolerated by Bihar and India? Will my mothers who observe the strict fast without water tolerate it?”
Highlighting his government’s respect for the festival, the Prime Minister also announced his administration’s efforts to secure a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for the Chhath Mahaparva, along with a national public competition to promote Chhath songs.
RJD’s Rule Defined by ‘Five Identities’ of ‘Jungle Raj’
The Prime Minister did not mince words when criticizing the Mahagathbandhan’s governance history, reviving the ‘Jungle Raj’ moniker often associated with the RJD’s past tenure in the state. He defined the RJD-Congress’s style of governance with what he called its “five identities.”
“What have the RJD and Congress done? What have the jungle raj people done?” PM Modi asked, listing the five key terms in Hindi:
- Katta (Country Guns/Violence)
- Krurta (Cruelty)
- Katuta (Bitterness)
- Kushasan (Bad Governance)
- Corruption
He further alleged that under the RJD’s previous misrule, goons “used to loot vehicle showrooms” and that the parties spread bitterness which hinders social harmony and development. He stated that the NDA’s priority is to enhance Bihar’s pride and ensure development, asserting that the RJD-Congress alliance “can never make Bihar developed.”
Mahagathbandhan’s ‘Tejashwi Pran’ Manifesto
The Mahagathbandhan, with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as its Chief Ministerial candidate, has released its 25-point manifesto titled ‘Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran’ (Tejashwi’s Resolve). Key promises in the document aim at employment generation and social welfare, including:
- A law guaranteeing one government job for one member of every family within 20 days of forming the government, with the process for an employment guarantee scheme to begin within 20 months.
- Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees.
- Monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 for women under the Mai-Behin Maan Yojana.
- 200 units of free electricity for every household.
- Regularisation of contractual and outsourced government workers, and permanent status with a ₹30,000 monthly salary for Jeevika Didis.
- Free health insurance up to ₹25 lakh under the Jan Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
- Setting up IT Parks, SEZs, and industrial clusters.
The election, which will see voting in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with results on November 14, is shaping up to be a high-stakes battle between the NDA’s “Viksit Bihar” vision and the Mahagathbandhan’s youth-focused ‘Tejashwi Pran.’