Patna, Nov 6: As Bihar went to polls in the first phase of Assembly elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appealed to voters to “teach a lesson” to what he described as “opportunistic rulers” who, he said, had betrayed the trust of the people.
Calling the ongoing elections a “golden opportunity for change,” Kharge said the ruling alliance had failed to deliver on its promises while disguising corruption and misgovernance as development.
“The people of Bihar now have a golden opportunity to teach a lesson to those who have branded corruption, misgovernance, and jungle raj as development,” Kharge said in a statement.
He urged voters to choose progress and accountability, saying, “We must build a Bihar where the future of the state’s youth is secure and they do not have to suffer the scourge of unemployment and migration.”
The Congress, part of the INDIA bloc, is contesting the elections in alliance with the RJD and other opposition parties. The bloc hopes to regain ground in a state long dominated by shifting coalitions and caste-based politics.
Party leaders said Kharge’s remarks reflected growing frustration among the electorate over the lack of jobs and rising migration from Bihar to other states.
The appeal came as polling began across 121 constituencies on Thursday, where 3.75 crore voters were set to decide the fate of 1,314 candidates, including major contenders Tejashwi Yadav, Samrat Choudhary, and Vijay Kumar Sinha.
Voting will continue till 5 p.m., with election officials reporting a steady turnout in early hours under tight security arrangements.
