'Whichever party Rahul Gandhi's Congress touches...': Naqvi rubs salt in Bihar poll wounds

Taking a jibe at the Congress party for its dismal performance in the recently concluded Bihar elections, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has said that if Rahul Gandhi's Congress touches any political party, "it will divide and harm it." Naqvi's comments come as the grand old party managed to win only 19 of the 70 seats it contested in Bihar, while its partner RJD emerged as the single-largest party, winning 75 seats. However, the Mahagathbandhan failed to cross the majority mark and form its government in the state.

'If Rahul Gandhi's Congress touches any political party...'

"In the earlier days, there used to be a saying that if Congress touches anything, the thing will get destroyed. During Indira Gandhi's time, people used to say that if she touches wheat, rice or sugarcane, it would disappear. Similarly, Rahul Gandhi's Congress if it touches any political party, it divides it and causes harm to it.," the BJP leader told news agency ANI.

'Rahul Gandhi picnicking in Shimla'

On Sunday, a senior leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Shivanand Tiwari had hit out against the top leadership of the Congress party, with whom it fought the elections as part of the Opposition Grand alliance in the state. Terming the Congress a "shackle" for the alliance, Tiwari said the party had contested on 70 seats but did not hold as many rallies.

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"Congress turned out to be a shackle for the Mahagathbandhan. They had fielded 70 candidates but didn't hold even 70 public rallies. Rahul Gandhi came to Bihar for just three days, Priyanka didn't come, people who were unfamiliar with Bihar came here. This is not right," Tiwari said while talking to ANI.

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Taking a dig at the seriousness of Congress leadership regarding the Bihar election, Tiwari said, "Elections were in full swing here and Rahul Gandhi was having a picnic at Priyanka Ji's house in Shimla."

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In the 2015 Bihar elections Congress won 27 seats from 41 but this time Congress fought for 70 seats but only got 19 seats. The RJD-led Grand Alliance won 110 seats, 12 less than the majority mark of 122. The NDA managed to secure 125 seats and is set to form the next government in Bihar.

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