Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves a ‘gamcha’ during the celebration of NDA’s victory in the Bihar Assembly elections at BJP headquarters, in New Delhi, on Friday
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised his NDA ally, JDU leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for steering the coalition to a decisive victory in the Bihar Assembly elections. At the same time, he launched a sharp attack on the Congress, calling it a liability for the Opposition alliance after its dismal performance alongside the RJD.
Speaking to BJP workers in the national capital following the ruling coalition’s sweeping win, Modi said: “I congratulate all NDA leaders for their wonderful work and CM Nitish Kumar for his leadership.”
Modi had repeatedly endorsed Kumar’s leadership during the campaign. In one of the rallies he declared: “I can now say with full confidence that under Nitish’s leadership, the NDA will break its own record in Bihar and secure the biggest mandate ever.” His remarks today further signal that Nitish Kumar will continue as Chief Minister.
The Prime Minister also took a dig at the Congress’s repeated setbacks at the polls, noting that the party has not won a single election in six States since 2024. “Today, the Congress has become MMC – Muslim League Maoist Congress – and its entire agenda now revolves around this. A separate faction within the Congress is also emerging that is uncomfortable with this negative politics. I think there could be another major split in the Congress,” he said.
Without naming him directly, Modi targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that the naamdaar has triggered widespread internal dissent and is steering the party toward “political disaster”. He added: “Even Congress’s allies are beginning to understand that the party is drowning everyone in its negative politics. That is why, during the Bihar elections, I said the naamdaar is practising to drown himself and others by taking a dip in the pond.”
defends EC
Modi also defended the Election Commission of India, which faced criticism from Opposition parties following the special intensive revision of the electoral roll in Bihar — an exercise that will be implemented nationwide. The youth of the State, he said, have “overwhelmingly supported voter list purification”.
“This election has further strengthened public trust in the Election Commission of India. The consistently high voter turnout over the past few years, especially the increased participation of the deprived and the exploited, is a significant achievement for the Commission. This is the same Bihar that was once dominated by Maoist terror, where voting in Naxal-affected areas ended at 3 pm. But in this election, people voted without fear, with enthusiasm and excitement,” the Prime Minister said.
“You also know what used to happen in Bihar during the times of jungle raj. Violence occurred openly at polling stations. Ballot boxes were looted. Today, the same Bihar is witnessing record voter turnout. Voting is peaceful. Every vote is counted, and every voter is free to choose their candidate,” he added.
Published on November 14, 2025