Bihar Elections 2025 Live Updates: Khesari Lal Yadav fires back at Ravi Kishan - 'Temple alone won't give jobs'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will kick off his campaign for the assembly polls in Bihar on Wednesday with rallies in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts.

Gandhi's first rally will be at the reserved constituency of Sakra in Muzaffarpur, where the party has fielded Umesh Ram, the runner-up of the 2020 polls, said a statement issued by Rajesh Rathore, the chairperson of the state Congress media cell, on Monday.

The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha is expected to be joined by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the chief ministerial candidate of the INDIA bloc, said Rathore.

On the SIR issue, BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain says, "... There has been significant political reaction in Bihar regarding the implementation of the SIR. Tejashwi Yadav and other parties are attempting to mislead the public about it... Since Tejashwi Yadav and Mukesh Sahani's names have been announced, the Muslim community in Bihar is upset. In an attempt to appease them, they have announced plans to scrap the Waqf Act... People understand the underlying motives and will teach them a lesson through democratic means... The term ‘Bihari’, once used as a derogatory label during the Jungle Raj era, has now become a source of pride under Nitish Kumar's leadership."

‘Jungle raj’ has been one of the strongest narratives around the Bihar’s safety ecosystem, which has seen some of the worst crime numbers—much worse than the national average. With the Bihar Assembly elections around the corner, the term has once again gained currency. During his key rally from Karpoori Thakur’s birthplace, Samastipur, PM Modi used the term ‘jungle raj’ 17 times in his 45-minute address. (Read More)

Filmmaker and stand-up comedian, Varun Grover, can’t be faulted for openly proclaiming not too long ago that if you tell a Bihari not to vote on caste lines, he simply wouldn’t know what to do! The full force of his profound remark hit me hard when I spent a few days in Bihar last week to gauge the popular mood ahead of next month’s epic poll battle between the Mahagathbandhan of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress Party, Vikassheel Insaaf Party and the Left bloc, and the National Democratic Alliance of mainly the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party. (Read More)

Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Bihar government across the state for the third day of the Chhath Puja festival or 'Mahaparv' on Monday, officials said.

The devotees will worship Goddess 'Chhathi Maiya' by offering prayers or 'Arghya' to the setting sun on Monday. Millions of devotees are expected to offer prayers at various ghats of the holy river Ganga and other water bodies in Patna and other parts of the state in the evening.

The second Arghya will be offered to the rising Sun on Tuesday morning, marking the culmination of the four-day festival. - PTI

Chapra, Bihar: Responding to BJP MP Ravi Kishan's remarks, singer-actor and RJD leader Khesari Lal Yadav said, "I have never been against religion, and I am not against religion even today. But those who seek votes or incite people in the name of religion - I am against them. Now they think that since I oppose their ideology, I am against religion too. I said that temples are important, but so are colleges, education, hospitals, and people's livelihoods. How much employment will you create just by building temples?"  He added, "Don't say anything about Ravi... He once said in front of Yogi Adityanath that if you burn in Gorakhpur, you'll go straight to heaven - and Yogi Adityanath was laughing at that statement."

Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) National President Mukesh Sahni asserted that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar cannot be given the responsibility of the state as he is struggling with health issues. He also urged voters to give young politicians a chance to take over. “There is a wave of change in the entire state. In 2005, people felt he should be given a chance... In 2010, he indeed did development in the state. In 2015, he became CM with Lalu Yadav's support because he had nothing of his own. In 2020, he somehow became CM with the support of the BJP and VIP... We don't have any complaints from him, but since he is unwell, he cannot be given the responsibility of the entire state's population," he said. - ANI

Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress party, describing their administration as rife with corruption and nepotism. He emphasised that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is set to achieve a significant electoral victory and is expected to designate Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister of Bihar. Speaking to ANI, he said, "His family ruled Bihar for decades. Their ally, the Congress Party, ruled the country for three generations. During their time, corruption, nepotism, and causing suffering to the people were their policies. Those who created Jungle Raj in Bihar are today dreaming of bringing the moon, sun, stars, and the Himalayas to Patna, which is never going to happen because they lack credibility. The people of Bihar have completely rejected such hypocrites. For the past 20 years, the people of Bihar have consistently blessed the NDA." Pradhan further said, "This time too, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar's popular Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the NDA will once again achieve a landslide victory..." -- ANI

Tejashwi Yadav also alleged that the ruling NDA has been imitating the promises announced in his campaign manifesto, claiming that the alliance lacks original ideas to address Bihar's challenges.

Yadav alleged that despite Nitish Kumar serving as chief minister for two decades and Narendra Modi as prime minister for 11 years, Bihar remains the most backward and impoverished state in the country. “Seemachal is the poorest region of the state. This is the time to teach them a lesson,” he said during his address.

RJD MLC Mohammad Qari Sohaib triggered a controversy on Saturday after he claimed that if Tejashwi Yadav becomes chief minister, “all bills will be torn apart, including the Waqf bill.” His remarks drew sharp criticism from political opponents, who pointed out that a state government has no authority to repeal a law enacted by Parliament.

The Waqf (Amendment) Act, passed by Parliament in April, has been praised by the ruling BJP-led NDA as a measure to promote transparency and empower backward Muslims and women in the community. The opposition, however, has criticised the law, claiming it infringes on the rights of Muslims.

During a series of rallies in the Muslim-majority districts of Katihar, Kishanganj and Araria on Sunday, Yadav said an INDIA-bloc government in Bihar would “throw the Waqf (Amendment) Act into the dustbin.” He accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of siding with communal forces and enabling the RSS and its affiliates to spread hatred. Yadav also lauded his father, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, for standing firm against communal politics and described the BJP as the “Bharat Jalao Party.”

Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan’s nominee for chief minister, will address a rally in Saran today to drum up support for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.