Bihar elections 2025: On PM’s 'katta' remark, Cong chief Mallikarjun Kharge asks if Modi ji was present there

As Bihar prepares for the assembly elections, political leaders, including PM Modi, Amit Shah and Priyanka Gandhi, held rallies across Bihar on Monday. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi tore into the BJP while speaking in Bihar's Sonbarsa, alleging that the NDA government in the state is “threatening the right to vote.”

PM Modi pitched for the NDA alliance and stated that parties will bring ‘vikas’ to the state. Meanwhile, Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary took a swipe at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's statement that he will take oath as the next CM of Bihar on November 18, saying that “It is not a monarchy. The people of Bihar will decide this."

With just days remaining for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Monday asserted that the BJP will not return to power in the state.

While talking to the media, Prashant Kishore urged the voters to reject corrupt candidates, adding that electing honest representatives strengthens the morale of good leaders, while choosing the wrong ones emboldens corruption across the state.

BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Monday criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for allegedly using "objectionable language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PTI reported.

Earlier in the day, Kharge used the phrase 'jhooton ke sardar' (leader of liars) to describe Modi at a press conference in Patna.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday expressed confidence that Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav will become the next Chief Minister of Bihar following the state assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI, RJD chief said, "Tejashwi Yadav will become the Chief Minister this time. The government will be changed on 14th November."

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “katta” remark, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge hit back on Monday, questioning the Prime Minister’s claim. “Was Modi ji present there?” Kharge asked.

The remarks came after Prime Minister on Sunday alleged that the RJD had “snatched” the chief minister’s post from the Congress under pressure.

“RJD ne Congress ki kanpatti par katta rakhkar CM pad chura liya,” Modi said, adding that the Congress was compelled to give up the top post after intense power tussles “in closed rooms” ahead of the Bihar elections. “Congress didn’t want an RJD leader to be CM, but RJD didn’t let go of the opportunity. They forced the announcement at gunpoint,” he remarked, prompting loud cheers from the crowd.

Election campaigning in Bihar took a sharp religious or cultural turn on Monday, November 3, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to frame the opposition Mahagathbandhan of the RJD, Congress and others, as being anti-Hinduism. READ MORE

Union home minister Amit Shah alleged at a Bihar rally that Rahul Gandhi wants to protect infiltrators who are taking away foodgrain, jobs, and benefits meant for the poor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday alleged that the Congress and RJD, which had opposed the law against Triple talaq, are now campaigning to scrap the Waqf Amendment Act, claiming the parties are working to appease extremists, PTI reported.

Former RJD leader and now Janshakti Janata Dal chief Tej Pratap Yadav took a dig at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, suggesting that he should instead become a "rasoiya" (cook) rather than a politician. READ MORE

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tore into the BJP during a rally in Bihar's Sonbarsa ahead of the Assembly Polls 2025 on Monday.

Adressing a rally Vadra said that PM Modi conceals the actual issues and diverts the attention of the people, further suggesting the Prime Minister to create a "Ministry of Insults" to keep a record of all the times he has been disrespected by the Vadra family.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Home minister Amit Shah has stated that the pairing of PM Modi and Nitish Kumar has liberated Bihar from "jungle raj."

"The pair of Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi has liberated Bihar from 'jungle raj'. We ended dynasty rule. Lalu ji and Rabri ji want to make their son the CM of Bihar. Sonia Gandhi wants to make her son the PM of the country. But I am here to tell Lalu-Rabri and Sonia ji that neither Lalu ji's son would become the CM nor will Sonia ji's son become the PM. Because Bihar CM is held by Nitish ji and Narendra Modi ji is in power in Delhi," said Shah.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Following the row which erupted after Lalu Yadav was seen celebrating Halloween with his grandchildren, prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday called the Congress a “royal family only celebration foreign festivals.”

"Congress' 'royal family' celebrates several foreign festivals, but calls Chatth Puja "drama"," PM Modi alleged during a rally in Bihar.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Speaking at a rally in Bihar's Sheohar, home minister Amit Shah has accused RJD's Lalu Yadav of governing with scams.

“Lalu's tenure was full of scams,” said Shah, adding that only the Nitish Kumar-Narendra Modi pair can ensure a developed Bihar

During his rally, the senior BJP leader also revealed that Modi has sanctioned ₹18.70 lakh crore to Bihar in the past 10 years as compared to ₹2.80 lakh crore during Lalu's rule.

Shah further stated that the RJD will be “wiped out” by 1 pm on November 14 when poll results are declared as NDA will emerge victorious.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Speaking at a rally in Bihar, Congress secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has called on prime minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah to list what the NDA government has done for the state of Bihar.

"Before announcing doles for Bihar during polls, PM, Amit Shah should first answer what NDA did for state in last 20 years," she was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Bihar will head to the polls in two phases. The first phase will be held on November 6, followed by the second on November 11.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Speaking at a rally in Saharsa, prime minister Narendra Modi pitched for the NDA alliance and stated that parties will bring ‘vikas’ to the state. Furthermore, the BJP leader stated that RJD-Congress government is known for ‘vinash’.

The prime minister further alleged that the RJD-Congress made fun of the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' programme.

“They now thinking about how they insulted India's daughters,” he said.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has alleged that the NDA government in BIhar is “threatening the right to vote.”

'NDA govt in Bihar threatening people's right to vote guaranteed by Constitution," said Gandhi at rally in Saharsa.

With phase one of the Bihar elections just days away, the Congress leader will be addressing two poll rallies at Sonbarsa and Lakhisarai, and hold a roadshow at Rosera on Monday.

Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary took a swipe at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's statement that he will take oath as the next CM of Bihar on November 18. “It is not a monarchy. The people of Bihar will decide this,” he said.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘katta’ remark at a poll rally in Bihar, saying that he had never heard any PM use such words. He said, “I have nothing to say on the PM’s comment ... I have never heard any PM in the country use such words. This shows his thought process”.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: BJP MP Ravi Kishan on Monday mocked Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi after he jumped into a pond for fishing in Begusarai on Sunday, saying that he would get fewer votes than the number of fish he caught. “Jitna vo kal aaye unke haath jitna macchli laga hai usse kamhi vote milega (As much fish as he caught when he came yesterday, he'll get even fewer votes than that).”

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Speaking at a poll rally in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Mahagatbandhan leaders of “embracing criminals.”

“Rahul, Tejashwi, Akhilesh embracing criminals in Bihar, allowing infiltrators to compromise with state’s security,” Yogi Adityanath alleged.

He further accused the RJD-Congress parties of allowing the looting of ration meant for the poor.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: In the 2020 elections, the NDA alliance emerged as the winner with a total of 125 seats. Meanwhile, the opposition alliance secured a total of 110 seats.

Of this, the BJP won 74 seats, while Nitish Kumar's JD(U) won 43 seats.

Meanwhile for Mahagathbandhan, Congress won 19 seats, RJD 75 and Left parties 16. The 2020 elections in Bihar were held in three phases.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Days before the Bihar polls, Anant Kumar Singh, the candidate from the Mokama constituency, was arrested for his alleged connection in the murder of Jan Suraaj supporter Duralchand Yadav.

Along with Singh, who is contesting from a JD(U) ticket for the 20205 polls, two of his aides Manikant Thakur and Ranjit Ram were also held for the murder.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: As per the Election Commission of India, around 7.43 crore voters, with more than 14 lakh first-time voters, will cast their vote in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.

As per CEC Gyanesh Kumar, over 90,000 voting centers have been set up across the state for the elections. Kumar also stated that Bihar elections this time might be the most transparent, secure, and easy elections in history of Indian elections.

Bihar elections 2025 Live Updates: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday refuted PM Modi's claim that Bihar's Rashtriya Janata Dal "stole" the Chief Minister's post from the Congress.

"All of this is a lie. He (PM Modi) has nothing else to say. I will answer this today in Bihar. What he is saying is a lie. Nobody will tell someone else to make someone the CM at gunpoint. Congress has never done this," Kharge told ANI ahead of his roadshows in Bihar.

"Modi ji is the PM of this country; his saying such things is laughable. This shows his level. He sets aside the level at which a PM should speak and is making election speeches in Bihar," the Congress leader added further.

Kharge will hold a rally in Bihar's Raja Pakar later today.