PM MODI, RAHUL GANDHI LEAD CAMPAIGN BLITZ IN HIGH-STAKES BIHAR BATTLE

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reignited the Bihar battle, invoking Indira Gandhi's 1971 grit, accusing PM Modi of bowing to Trump, and framing the polls as a clash between “two Indias.”

- TDG NETWORK

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi escalated his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at rallies in Bihar on Thursday, likening the PM unfavourably to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and reviving his “two Indias” critique as the state heads to assembly elections on 6 and 11 November, with results on 14 November.

Addressing crowds in Nalanda and other venues, Gandhi cited the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War to argue that Indira Gandhi “did not fear or bow before” the United States, contrasting that with what he termed Mr Modi's lack of "vision" and "ability" to stand up to then-US President Donald Trump. "Indira Gandhi was a woman, but she had more guts than this man... Narendra Modi is cowardly," he charged, challenging the PM to publicly deny that he halted "Operation Sindoor" at Washington's behest.

Gandhi's remarks followed fresh comments by Mr Trump at an APEC CEO luncheon in Gyeongju, South Korea, claiming he had intervened to prevent an IndiaPakistan conflict earlier this year. The Congress leader alleged Mr Trump had "insulted" Mr Modi "50 times" by repeatedly asserting he forced India to stop the operation, and said the PM lacked the courage to rebut the claim. Indian officials have previously dismissed similar assertions by Mr Trump.