Bihar elections 2025 would mark beginning of end of Narendra Modi govt's 'corrupt rule: Kharge at Patna CWC

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday launched a frontal attack on the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing it of orchestrating “vote chori” and communal polarisation. Kharge asserted that the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections would mark the beginning of end of the Narendra Modi government's "corrupt rule”.

Speaking at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Patna, Kharge also made an apparent reference to US President Donald Trump's recent statements and actions while taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Our problems at the international level are the result of diplomatic failure of Narendra Modi and his government. The very friends whom the prime minister boasts about as ‘my friends’ are today putting India in numerous troubles,” Kharge said in his opening remarks at the CWC that began in Patna in the morning.

It is an extended CWC meeting, with permanent and special invitees, the party's chief ministers, Pradesh Congress Committee presidents and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders are participating.

“Today, when our voter list is being officially tampered with, it is essential that we hold our extended CWC meeting in Bihar, the mother of democracy, and reaffirm our pledge to protect this country's democracy and Constitution,” the Congress chief said.

Questions about fairness of Election Commission

Kharge asserted that the foundation of democracy is fair and transparent elections and said serious questions are being raised today about the fairness and transparency of the Election Commission itself.

Instead of answering questions on the revelations from various states, the EC is demanding affidavits from us, Kharge said.

“Following the example of Bihar, a conspiracy is now being hatched across the country to remove the votes of millions of people,” the Congress president said, referring to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar.

“Vote theft means theft of rations, pensions, medicine, children's scholarships, and exam fees belonging to Dalits, tribals, backward classes, extremely backward classes, minorities, the weak, and the poor, he said.

The 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' raised awareness among the people of Bihar, and they openly came out in support of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress chief said.

“Today, our country is grappling with many problems. These problems include economic slowdown, unemployment, social polarisation, and the targeting and weakening of autonomous constitutional institutions,” Kharge said.

Led by Rahul Gandhi, the ‘Voter Adhikar Rally’ in poll-bound Bihar was held last month after the Congress leader's allegation of ‘vote chori’ against the Election Commission and the BJP. The Mahagathbandhan leaders includling RJD's Tejaswi Yadav also accompanied Rahul in the rally in poll-bound state.

The rally that culiminated on 1 September covered 1,300-km and passed through 110 assembly constituencies covering 25 of the 38 districts ahead of the upcoming state elections.

Congress had been seeking GST reforms

“The promise of ‘2 crore jobs’ remains unfulfilled. Youths are wandering without employment. Demonetisation and a flawed GST have derailed the economy. After eight years, the prime minister realised his mistake. Now, the same reforms have been introduced in GST that the Congress party had been demanding from day one,” Kharge said.

The 2025 Assembly elections will prove to be a milestone not only for Bihar but for the entire country, Kharge said. "This will mark the beginning of the countdown and the end of the corrupt rule of the Modi government,” Kharge said.

The Congress' top brass met here on Wednesday, for the party's first working committee meeting in Bihar in the post-Independence era, to deliberate on the assembly polls strategy and ramp up its attack against the BJP over alleged "vote chori".

Ahead of the meeting, Kharge unfurled the party flag at the Congress' state headquarters here. Top Congress leaders, including Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, treasurer Ajay Maken, general secretaries KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh and Sachin Pilot, Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar, among others, participated in the meeting.

The Assembly polls in the state are likely to be held in November.

(With PTI inputs)