Political activity is intensifying in Bihar. The Mahagathbandhan is organizing a Voter Rights Yatra, which has drawn sharp criticism from the Janata Dal United (JDU). The JDU accuses Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav of misleading the public and demands an apology. Meanwhile, the Congress is preparing for the upcoming elections, with its screening committee set to visit Bihar to assess potential candidates. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), on the other hand, claims that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is focused on pleasing the BJP and RSS.
At a press conference held by the JDU, national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad and media panelist Mahesh Das addressed the media, criticizing the Voter Rights Yatra launched by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav. They stated that these leaders should apologize for misleading the public.
The JDU further alleged that Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav are repeatedly using lies to deceive the public. They cited the example of Rahul Gandhi’s reference to CSDS data to criticize the Election Commission and his subsequent yatra, despite the fact that the CSDS analyst, Sanjay Kumar, admitted to providing false information and apologized. They questioned whether Gandhi would apologize to the public and the Election Commission.
The JDU also highlighted Rahul Gandhi’s history of apologies, including those related to the Rafale issue, his comments on the army, and his defamation case over comments about Modi.
In anticipation of the Bihar Assembly elections, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee is holding a meeting to select potential candidates. The Screening Committee, including MP Praniti Shinde and in-charge secretary Devendra Yadav, will visit Bihar for three days, from August 23 to August 25, 2025. During the tour, they will meet with potential candidates from various districts.
The first meeting will be held in Sasaram, followed by meetings in Gaya and Patna, with district officials and candidates in attendance.
The RJD has criticized CM Nitish Kumar, alleging that he is appeasing the BJP and RSS. At a press conference, RJD leaders Kari Mo Shohaib, Ejaz Ahmed, and Mujahid Alam discussed the alleged irregularities in the Madrasa Board’s centenary celebration, claiming that the board spent crores of rupees to promote Nitish Kumar and BJP ministers, and that Urdu newspapers were forced to publish advertisements for free. They alleged that holidays were declared in government madrasas, and teachers were compelled to attend JDU rallies. They also alleged that the chairman of the Madrasa Board used Muslim institutions for political gains.
The Indian Communist Party-ML has criticized the Election Commission, claiming that the commission’s bulletin regarding voter list exclusions is factually incorrect. The party alleges that the commission did not provide a clear process for registering objections, and that objections filed by the party’s BLAs were ignored.
JDU state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha criticized the opposition’s Voter Rights Yatra, stating that the Congress and RJD are using the yatra to protect their own political interests. He alleged that the opposition has no real issues to raise and is resorting to political drama. Kushwaha also said that during the rule of Lalu-Rabri, the state was known for booth capturing, and that the Congress imposed an Emergency and trampled fundamental rights. He claimed that Rahul and Tejashwi are misleading the public.
Dr. Santosh Suman of the Hindustan Awami Morcha (Sec.) said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Gaya will boost its development. He added that the government’s vision of ‘heritage and development’ will be realized with the expected development of Gaya.
He announced that the Prime Minister will inaugurate various projects worth Rs 1675 crore for the overall development of Gaya, including an industrial corridor. The meeting in Gaya will be historic, with full preparations made by the NDA parties.