"BJP contesting with no agenda": Jairam Ramesh repeats 'remote-controlled CM' jibe at Nitish Kumar

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that it is contesting the Bihar Assembly elections with "no program and no agenda," and that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is being "remote-controlled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The senior Congress leader expressed confidence that the Mahagathbandhan alliance will form the next government in Bihar and claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s "time is up," adding that the people of the state have decided to bring about a change.

"The remote control is in the hands of the Prime Minister, and he is remote-controlling Nitish Kumar. Why doesn't he say that Nitish Kumar is our candidate for the Chief Minister's post? He is not saying that. He is saying that we are contesting the elections under his leadership. But the truth is, there's no program, no agenda. They're nervous. They know their time is up, and the people of Bihar have decided it's time for change. Mahagathbandhan government will be formed," the Congress leader said. The Congress leader also took aim at the Prime Minister for what he termed "silence" over US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of facilitating a "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack.

"The real issue is the question we've been asking for the last six months: Why did you stop Operation Sindoor? President Trump has made claims 56 times, and did you say anything inside or outside Parliament?" he said. Saying that PM Modi has "surrendered" to the US, Ramesh took a jibe at the Prime Minister for trying to "intimidate" and "threaten" Congress leaders while being silent as "threats" come from outside.

"NRIs are being targeted. People are being sent back in handcuffs. The Prime Minister is silent on all this. And this is the same President Trump who always hugged our Prime Minister. Our Prime Minister surrendered. Our Prime Minister threatens opposition leaders, Congress leaders, but when someone from outside threatens and intimidates him, he remains silent," he said. He further accused the Prime Minister of being silent on real issues plaguing the country, including unemployment and the agrarian crisis.

India has consistently refuted Trump's claims, stating that the ceasefire was achieved bilaterally through the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs), without third-party involvement. India has also reiterated its long-standing position that any issues with Pakistan, including those related to Jammu and Kashmir, are to be resolved bilaterally between the two countries. (ANI)