Congress Bihar Campaign Excludes Telangana Leaders After Row
- Congress excludes Telangana ministers after ‘Bihari DNA’ backlash
- Party shifts campaign focus to other senior leaders amid controversy
The Congress high command has dropped Telangana Ministers and senior leaders from the list of star campaigners for the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections following criticism over Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s controversial “Bihari DNA” comment. The elections will be conducted in two phases, on November 6 for 121 constituencies and November 11 for 122 constituencies.
The move comes as a strategic and damage-control measure after the remarks drew sharp condemnation from Bihar’s political circles. The statement quickly spiraled into a national controversy and threatened to undermine the Congress campaign in the Hindi heartland. Party insiders described the exclusion as a “temporary step” to contain the backlash and avoid further political embarrassment in Bihar.
Revanth Reddy, who had previously campaigned extensively in Bihar during the “Voter Adhikar Yatra” alongside Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, found himself at the center of criticism. His remark triggered an uproar, with leaders across party lines branding the statement as “insulting.”
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor strongly attacked the Telangana Chief Minister, questioning his arrogance and credibility. “If the DNA of Biharis is inferior, why did he seek their support? Even Rahul Gandhi will not be able to save Revanth Reddy,” Kishor said, vowing to defeat him in Telangana in the future.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Congress had planned to highlight its legislation to provide 42 per cent reservations for Backward Classes as a key achievement, projecting it as a model for the rest of India.
The Congress high command had also intended to make BC reservation a major talking point in Bihar’s campaign. However, the ongoing legal scrutiny of the Telangana law, combined with the fallout from Revanth’s remark, led to a course correction in campaign planning.
For now, the Congress has replaced Telangana campaigners with other national figures. The official list of star campaigners for the Bihar elections includes AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukku, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, former Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala, and Purnea MP Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav. The party appears keen to steer the narrative back to development and welfare issues before the first phase of polling.
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