Buxar, April 22: India’s opposition Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of political opportunism, criticizing his alliance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as detrimental to the state’s interests.
Addressing a rally in Buxar ahead of Bihar’s upcoming assembly elections, Kharge alleged that Kumar frequently switches alliances to hold onto power.
“Nitish Kumar switches sides just for ‘kursi’ (CM’s post),” Kharge said. “Sometimes he jumps ship to join us. But when he is convinced the BJP has better chances of winning, he again goes and sits in their lap.”
Describing the ruling JD(U)-BJP alliance as “opportunistic”, Kharge said it was “not good for the people of the state” and accused Kumar of aligning with an ideology that, he claimed, “killed Mahatma Gandhi.”
The rally, branded “Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan,” marked an aggressive campaign tone from the Congress as it seeks to challenge the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the eastern state, where the Mahagathbandhan—or Grand Alliance—comprising Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Left parties, hopes to consolidate anti-BJP votes.
Kharge also took aim at Prime Minister Modi over unfulfilled promises, particularly a ₹1.25 lakh crore (about $15 billion) financial package announced in 2015 for Bihar’s development.
“People of Bihar must ask Nitish Kumar what happened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise… Modi Ji is running a factory of lies,” he said.
He accused the ruling BJP of prioritizing communal politics over governance, pointing to the Parliament’s recent focus on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
“If votes can be obtained by talking about Hindus and Muslims and misleading the public, then what is the need to work?” Kharge asked.
Reacting to the Enforcement Directorate’s chargesheet against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Kharge labeled the action a political vendetta.
“This has been done to target Congress. Our leaders can’t be scared,” he said, adding, “Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the country. Not even a dog of BJP people had died.”
Kharge also accused the BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of being indifferent to marginalized communities.
“They are against the poor, women, and the weaker sections of society. They believe in dividing society based on caste and religion.”
He further alleged that the Waqf Bill was part of a broader conspiracy “to create a divide among communities.”
Concluding his address, Kharge urged voters to support the opposition bloc in the state’s upcoming polls.
“Vote for Mahagathbandhan parties in the next state elections,” he said.
Bihar’s 243-member legislative assembly is scheduled to go to polls later this year.
