Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of 'stealing votes' as he kicks off Bihar campaign

Gandhi also repeated allegations that the BJP had colluded with the Election Commission to manipulate elections at both state and federal levels.

“He just wants your vote. If you tell Narendra Modi to dance, he will dance… they are engaged in stealing your votes. They stole elections in Maharashtra, they stole elections in Haryana, and they will try their best in Bihar,” Gandhi said at a rally in Muzaffarpur, where RJD chief and CM face Tejashwi Yadav was also present..

BJP hits back

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded sharply, with spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari calling Gandhi’s remarks those of a “local goon” and accusing him of insulting voters.

“Rahul Gandhi has openly insulted every poor person in India and Bihar who has voted for PM Narendra Modi ji! He has mocked voters and Indian democracy,” Bhandari said in a post on X.

Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a rally in Darbhanga, also criticized Gandhi’s “Voter Adhikar Yatra”, a foot march through eastern Bihar last year, aimed at highlighting alleged Election Commission-BJP collusion.

Gandhi targets Modi over Chhath Puja pond controversy

Gandhi further mocked reports that the Prime Minister had performed Chhath Puja in a specially constructed pond on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi, 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… with Chhath Puja,” he said.

Tejashwi Yadav focuses on poll promises

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, recently named the opposition’s chief ministerial candidate, focused on policy promises rather than personal attacks.

He pledged to cap cooking gas cylinders at Rs 500 and provide 200 free electricity units per household.

Yadav also criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claiming his government was being run by the BJP “via remote control.”

The Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases starting November 6, with results scheduled for November 14.