The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met in Patna’s historic Sadakat Ashram after nearly 85 years, where Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, and UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
Kharge said the NDA is facing visible internal rifts, with Nitish Kumar being “mentally retired” and reduced to a liability for the BJP. He asserted that the countdown of Modi’s rule would begin with the upcoming Bihar elections.
Targeting Modi on Diplomacy and Economy
Kharge blamed the Modi government for India’s international setbacks, noting that Modi’s “friend” Donald Trump is now creating trouble for India. He accused the PM of double standards, recalling Gandhi’s call for Swadeshi while rolling out the red carpet for China. Imports from China, he said, have doubled in the last five years.
He also criticized demonetization and GST for derailing the economy, saying reforms demanded by Congress from day one have now quietly been implemented. “Ten years of Modi rule brought rising inflation, joblessness, and shattered farmers’ hopes,” he added, reminding that over 750 farmers lost their lives protesting the three farm laws.
Questions on Democracy and Elections
Accusing the Election Commission of bias, Kharge claimed large-scale manipulation of voter lists across states. He warned that “vote theft” translates into theft of rations, pensions, scholarships, and opportunities meant for the marginalized. He hailed the Voter Rights Yatra in Bihar for raising awareness and boosting support for Rahul Gandhi.
The Bihar and UP Focus
Kharge called the NDA’s “double engine” promise hollow, saying Bihar still lags in jobs and development, forcing lakhs of youth to migrate every year. He alleged that police lathicharge is the government’s only answer to protesting unemployed youth.
On Nitish Kumar, he said, “The BJP has mentally retired him and considers him a burden.” Stressing the need for transparency, he demanded constitutional protection for Bihar’s 65% reservation policy and a nationwide caste census.
Turning his guns on UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Kharge said Yogi portrays himself as Modi’s successor while opposing reservations in the past. He criticized Yogi’s crackdown on caste-based rallies, questioning how the BJP can talk of caste census while jailing those fighting for social justice.
