BJP frames Bihar polls as “Halloween vs Chhath”, attacking Lalu family’s Halloween photos and accusing opposition of disrespecting Chhath; political debate intensifies.
Bihar Election 2025
The Bihar election debate took a sharp cultural and religious turn on November 3, 2025, after the BJP seized on home footage of RJD patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav celebrating Halloween with his grandchildren. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah used the visuals to accuse the Mahagathbandhan of sidelining traditional festivals such as Chhath and pandering to “foreign” customs — reframing the campaign as a clash of cultural identity rather than only governance issues.
BJP messaging linked a past remark by Lalu — calling the Kumbh “meaningless” — to the Halloween images, arguing that the opposition leadership shows disrespect to core Hindu traditions. At multiple rallies, leaders contrasted the recently celebrated Chhath festival with the Halloween photos, painting it as a question of values and belonging ahead of the vote. The strategy appears aimed at consolidating conservative voters in rural and semi-urban pockets where festival identity matters deeply.
The INDIA bloc pushed back strongly. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ridiculed the BJP’s focus on insult claims, suggesting the prime minister was avoiding questions on unemployment, poverty and governance by manufacturing controversy. She mocked the idea of a ministry dedicated to “insults,” and said voters deserve answers on development and administration rather than ritual policing. This public rebuttal keeps the narrative competitive and may shift media attention back to policy issues if sustained.
