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Congress' Post On Bihar, Bidis Sparks Row, BJP Calls It "Insult To Entire State"

Kerala Congress's social media post mocking Bihar amid GST tax cuts on bidis sparked political backlash, prompting deletion and apologies ahead of Bihar elections.

  • On Friday, the Kerala unit of the Congress posted on X `Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore.`, then deleted it and apologized after backlash.
  • After the GST Council cut bidi rates on September 3, the Kerala Congress circulated a chart showing bidis were the only product with tax reduced from 28% to 18% under the 2025 GST reforms.
  • BJP and JDU leaders denounced the post, with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary calling it `an insult to the entire state` and JDU's Sanjay Kumar Jha labeling it `utterly shameful`.
  • With polls before November, the row provided BJP and JD fresh ammunition, and the BJP called for a Bihar Bandh Thursday as NDA leaders protested in the streets.
  • Political observers warn the timing could further strain Congress ties with INDIA bloc partners and sharpen the NDA's campaign narrative in the coming months, affecting the Bihari electorate's identity pride.
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A social media post of Kerala Congress has brought a stir in Bihar politics. This controversial tweet of 'B for Bidi, B for Bihari' has given the ruling party an opportunity to attack the Congress. Although the Congress has deleted the post, the BJP and JDU leaders have surrounded the Congress, calling it an insult to the Biharis and have demanded an apology. Minister Ashok Chaudhary said: 'This is the anti-Bihar mentality of the Congress' Bihar…

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NDTV broke the news in New Delhi, India on Friday, September 5, 2025.
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