Khera's 'katta' remarks show Cong's frustration as NDA set to retain power in Bihar: BJP

The BJP slammed the Congress on Saturday over its leader Pawan Khera's ''katta'' remarks and said the words reflect the opposition party's ''frustration'' as the NDA is set to return to power in Bihar with a decisive mandate.

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also said that Khera's remarks have made it clear that the Congress does not have anything to say on the issue of development to target the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments in Bihar and at the Centre.

Talking to reporters in Bihar, Khera suggested that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should put a ''katta'' (country-made pistol) at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ''kanpatti'' (temple) to get himself declared as the NDA's chief ministerial candidate in the ongoing state Assembly polls.

Reacting sharply to Khera's remarks, Trivedi said, ''The Congress has spoken in accordance with its habit but the remarks make it clear that Nitish Kumar is going to become the chief minister again. The BJP-NDA is clearly going to form its government (in Bihar) with a decisive mandate.'' He said Khera has made these remarks because the Congress is rattled and frustrated, sensing its imminent defeat in the Bihar polls.

This has become clear to the opposition party after the first phase of polling was held in Bihar on Thursday (November 6), Trivedi claimed.

He said Khera's remarks have also proved what Modi had said -- that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) got Tejashwi Yadav declared as the Mahagathbandhan's chief-ministerial candidate by putting a ''katta'' at the Congress's temple.

Khera's remarks have also made it clear that the Congress has nothing to say on the issue of development to target the ruling NDA in Bihar as well as at the Centre, the BJP leader added.

''The Congress's sentiments must have been hurt wondering how the party could be compared to a katta,'' he said.

But Congress leaders have always supported many of the ''most prominent criminals'', Trivedi alleged, adding that for the opposition party, ''Osama (bin Laden) is still alive, Hafiz (Saeed) sahib and Afzal (Guru) were victims of circumstances, Yakub Menon was a victim of judicial killing and Zakir Naik is a messiah of peace.'' Those who have glorified RDX, AK-47 and provided indirect support to high-profile terrorists even at the international level must have felt hurt, he said.

The second phase of polling for the 243-member Bihar Assembly is scheduled to be held on November 11, with the results set to be announced on November 14.