Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has sharply criticized the BJP, declaring that the party has “mentally retired” Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the crucial state elections. Speaking at a press conference in Patna after the Congress Working Committee meeting, Kharge framed this remark as a symptom of deepening internal strife in the NDA.

He accused BJP of treating Nitish Kumar as a burden now, rather than a partner, and insisted that the cracks in the alliance are no longer behind closed doors they’ve emerged for everyone to see.To push his point, Kharge also referenced Bihar’s social structure, arguing that nearly 80 percent of the population belongs to OBC, EBC, SC and ST categories and that people are demanding a transparent caste census.

The Congress, he said, is forcing the central government to deliver on its promise of a caste census.He also reminded the public of promises Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made about reviving Bihar’s sugar industry assertions that, in his view, have seen little follow-through. The context is steeped in election strategy. The Congress meeting in Patna was more than symbolic: it signals the party trying to build momentum in Bihar and put pressure on the BJP on multiple fronts. Kharge’s team included senior figures like Rahul Gandhi, Ajay Maken, Jairam Ramesh and Sachin Pilot, and they seemed intent on turning up the heat, especially over allegations of “vote chori” (vote stealing).

Meanwhile, the BJP has mounted its own counterattack, accusing the Congress-led INDIA bloc of discord over seat sharing and pointing to internal rivalries that may undermine their chances. With political temperatures rising ahead of the elections, Kharge’s words aim to project strength and challenge the BJP’s narrative of unity within the NDA.