Political Boomerang? Why Stalin’s Visit May Deepen Congress-RJD’s Troubles In Bihar | Elections News

Last Updated:August 28, 2025, 14:48 IST

Since Wednesday, BJP has been releasing statements of top DMK leaders against Hindi or Bihar, which has put Congress and RJD in a tough spot for their invitation to Stalin

Rahul Gandhi, clicking a selfie with Stalin, Tejashwi Yadav, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, tried to pitch it as another INDIA bloc effort against the Election Commission. (X @RahulGandhi)

Bihar has just 986 Tamil-speaking people, according to the 2011 Census data. It does not mean all of them are registered voters of the state. However, the Congress-RJD alliance thought it to be a politically sound idea to fly in Tamill Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his sister Kanimozhi more than 2,000 kilometres from Chennai to Bihar. The leaders joined Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Muzaffarpur where Stalin gave a speech in Tamil that was translated in Hindi—a language ironically opposed in Tamil Nadu.

Gandhi, clicking a selfie with Stalin, Tejashwi Yadav, CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others, tried to pitch it as another INDIA bloc effort against the Election Commission, which deleted 65 lakh names in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar. But 24 hours later, the question remains: how much did it really help the Congress-RJD alliance? Rather, did Stalin’s Bihar visit boomerang on them?

The reason behind the question is simple. Ever since Wednesday morning, the BJP has been releasing statements of top DMK leaders against Hindi or Bihar, which has put Congress and, thereby, RJD in a tough spot for their invitation to Stalin.

On Wednesday, the BJP released Stalin’s old statements where he purportedly threatened to thwart the BJP’s “conspiracy” of giving jobs to Hindi-speaking individuals in Tamil Nadu. In the same video, the BJP showcased former Union minister and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran’s purportedly racist comment where he is alleged to have said that had Google CEO Sundar Pichai studied Hindi, he would have to work as a construction labourer. The party said on social media: “Stalin’s visit to Bihar is nothing but a political charade, an effort to whitewash the deep-seated disdain his party has shown towards Biharis.”

BJP national spokesperson Gaurabh Bhatia said: “You remember Dayanidhi (Maran) said Biharis should clean toilets in Tamil Nadu. Now, DMK chief minister is being given a red carpet in Bihar. What message did they try to send to the people of the state that those who will abuse Biharis will be treated as star campaigners?”

In another social media post, the BJP stitched together Maran’s infamous toilet video with that of a sitting minister, KN Nehru, purportedly claiming that Biharis have lesser brains than Tamils. The video collage features a former minister who is alleged to have claimed Biharis sell ‘panipuris’ in Tamil Nadu. But the real target was the deputy chief minister and son of MK Stalin, Udaynidhi Stalin, who in 2023 created a massive row by saying Sanatana is against the idea of social justice and must be “eradicated”. “Sanatana is like malaria and dengue, and so it must be eradicated and not opposed,” he had said.

But it wasn’t just the BJP that was opposing the Congress and RJD in their red-carpet welcome to someone whose politics has been anti-Hindi heartland. The new kid on the block, Jan Suraaj, too hit out at Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav.

“Revanth Reddy said it’s in Biharis’ DNA to work as labourers, that Biharis are born to do labour. Yet Congress leaders are taking him around on stage. Do they think every person in Bihar is a fool? Today Stalin has come to Bihar, but back in Tamil Nadu, when Bihari children were attacked, where was Stalin then?” asked its founder Prashant Kishor about an invitation to Reddy, another southern leader part of the Congress.

On Thursday morning, the BJP continued with its ‘Bihari asmita’ push on social media platforms, leaving one to wonder if the invitations were worth it.

Anindya Banerjee

Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in …Read More

Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in … Read More

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