Priyanka accuses NDA of ‘divisive politics’ and ‘fake nationalism’

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra launched a sharp attack on the NDA government at the Centre and in Bihar, accusing it of divisive politics , false nationalism , and weakening democratic rights through the alleged deletion of lakhs of voters from the electoral rolls.

Addressing an election rally in Bachhwara, Begusarai , ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, Priyanka said the BJP has mastered the art of distraction by focusing on the past or distant future, rather than addressing citizens’ present-day struggles.

“Big BJP leaders, chief ministers, the home minister, the prime minister, they talk about Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Either they talk about the future, 2050, or about the past. But do they ever ask you how you are surviving this inflation? Do they talk about the lack of jobs in Bihar?” she questioned.

She alleged that over 65 lakh names have been removed from Bihar’s voter list during the special intensive revision (SIR) , terming it an attack on citizens’ rights and the integrity of elections. “They divided people, created enmity between religions and castes, and now they are stealing votes. Your rights are being taken away,” she said, accusing the government of undermining welfare schemes and public services.

Calling Bihar “a sacred land that walks beside the Ganga,” Priyanka reminded the crowd of the state’s historical legacy. “From this very land, Gandhiji began his movement against the British. The Constitution gave us freedom, development, and above all, the right to vote. That right is now under threat,” she said.

She also criticised the government’s failure to address unemployment , saying the youth of Bihar are forced to migrate across the country for work, from Kerala to Kashmir . “Ask any worker building a road in Kashmir where he’s from, he’ll tell you he’s from Bihar,” she remarked, highlighting the state’s chronic joblessness.

Earlier in Patna, Priyanka questioned the NDA’s recent promise to provide one crore jobs in Bihar, calling it an election gimmick . “Why haven’t they done it till now? Why talk about it only during elections?” she asked.

Priyanka is campaigning for Congress candidates Garib Das in Bachhwara and Mithilesh Kumar in Beldaur , as the party faces a multi-cornered contest that also includes CPI candidates in friendly fights.

Voting for Bihar’s 243 assembly seats will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11 , while bye-elections for eight seats across seven states and Union Territories will also be held on November 11. Results will be declared on November 14 .