Rahul Gandhi: With Bihar preparing for the 2025 Assembly Elections, political drama has reached a boiling point. The remarks from Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, in which he said that the “Prime Minister can dance for votes,” sparked another war of words, drawing intense condemnation from the ruling alliance. Reacting strongly to the comment, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta charged the opposition’s Mahagathbandhan with “mocking the democratic discourse,” and “diminishing the dignity of leadership.”
Rekha Gupta’s Strong Counter
In response to reporters, Rekha Gupta remarked, “The ‘Mahathagbandhan’ can do anything for votes during elections. They can diminish the country and personally insult anyone’s mother. But if they think they can fool the people of Bihar, they are mistaken. The Bihari will not be fooled.” The comments she offered that were captured in a circulating video and which were published by PTI Videos demonstrate the ruling party’s aggressive counter-narrative ahead of the elections. Gupta also charged the opposition with “personal insults” instead of real issues such as development, employment, and infrastructure.
The Comment that Caused It All
The incident began at a rally in Bihar when Rahul Gandhi made an offhand remark criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s style of intervening among the masses, but did so in a satirical manner. Gandhi alleged that Modi “can either dance, sing, or act if it means getting votes”.
While Gandhi’s comment was intended to critique the BJP’s party campaign methods, it ultimately backfired as leaders of the ruling party labeled this comment as “disrespectful” and “arrogant.”
Political analysts, however, describe Gandhi’s comment as likely substantiating a round of political messaging for the BJP and its allies, projecting the comment as an “insult to the Prime Minister and Bihar voters.”
Reaction from the Political Spectrum
Leaders from the BJP and JD(U) weighed in on Gupta’s comments, alleging the Congress party was “crossing limits of political decency.” Social media hashtags, #BiharElections2025 and #RespectTheVote, began trending not long after Gupta’s comments.
Meanwhile, Congress spokespersons defended their leader, indicating Gandhi’s comment was purely an expression of “symbolic performative politics” and not an insult or personal attack. The damage may already be done within a state where emotional appeal and regional pride are significant components to electoral sentiment.
As both sides intensify their campaigns, Bihar’s political environment is preparing for a high-decibel battle. Gupta’s counter-offensive added bite to the ruling alliance’s claim that the Mahagathbandhan is ‘disconnected’ from the people’s mood.
It remains to be seen whether Rahul Gandhi’s comment makes sense to voters or blows back on the party, but one thing is clear: the road to Patna is heating up quickly.
