Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took a sharp swipe at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, ridiculing his recent dive into a pond in Bihar’s Begusarai district. Speaking at a packed rally in Sitamarhi ahead of the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, PM Modi mocked the Congress leader’s attempt to engage with local fishermen, calling it a “practice for drowning” in the upcoming polls.
Without directly naming Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister said, “Some big people are now coming here and diving into the water. Even big names are coming to see the fish. They’re taking a dip in the pond… practising for drowning in the Bihar elections.” His remarks sparked laughter among the crowd, setting the tone for his scathing address targeting both the Congress and the RJD-led Opposition alliance.
Rahul’s Pond Dive Becomes Political Flashpoint
Rahul Gandhi’s pond dive earlier this week had drawn wide attention on social media. The Congress leader, accompanied by former minister Mukesh Sahni and Kanhaiya Kumar, waded into chest-deep muddy water in Begusarai while interacting with local fishermen. A video from the visit showed Gandhi rowing a boat into the middle of the pond before plunging in, as Sahni demonstrated how to cast a fishing net. The moment, intended as a show of solidarity with the fishing community, quickly became fodder for political satire.
PM Targets Opposition
At his Sitamarhi rally, PM Modi went beyond jibes at Gandhi to accuse the Opposition of promoting lawlessness and corruption. “I shudder to hear that the RJD, in its campaign, is getting children to say that when they grow up, they want to become rangdaar (street bullies). Bihar does not want a government of katta (guns), kushasan (misgovernance), kroorta (cruelty), and corruption,” Modi declared.
Reiterating his party’s campaign pitch, the Prime Minister said, “Wherever I go, I hear one thing loud and clear, Bihar doesn’t want a katta sarkar, it wants the NDA again.”
His comments come just days before the second phase of polling on November 11. The first phase, held on November 6, saw a record voter turnout of 64.69 per cent, the highest ever in the state’s electoral history. The Opposition has pointed to the surge in participation as evidence of growing public desire for change.
Political strategist and Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor remarked that the increased voter turnout signals a shift in Bihar’s political mood. “A higher turnout often means people are voting for change,” he said, echoing a sentiment that could shape the coming phases of the fiercely contested election.