Muzaffarpur: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar kicked off his campaign for the Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 with a rally in Muzaffarpur that quickly turned controversial after he placed a garland around a woman BJP candidate’s neck, an act that broke with traditional protocol.
During the rally at Meenapur High School grounds, Nitish Kumar called Rama Nishad, the BJP candidate from Aurai and wife of former MP Ajay Nishad, onto the stage and proceeded to garland her. As he reached out, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha tried to stop him by holding his hand — prompting Nitish to quip, “E gajab ke aadmi hain bhai, haath kahe pakadte ho?” (“What’s wrong with you, why are you holding my hand?”). Ignoring the restraint, he completed the gesture, which quickly went viral on social media.
Traditionally, male leaders in Bihar hand over garlands to women rather than placing them around their necks as a sign of respect. The act therefore drew attention and criticism, with opposition parties accusing Nitish of inappropriate conduct.
Tejashwi Yadav’s Reaction and Political Fallout
The viral video triggered immediate reactions from the opposition. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav posted on social media, asking, “If the Chief Minister is healthy, why does he behave this way instead of reading from a written speech?”
This is not the first time Nitish Kumar has faced criticism for his interactions with women at public events. Earlier, at a cooperative department function in Patna, cameras caught him pulling a woman awardee by the hand and placing his arm around her shoulder — an incident that led to outrage and demands for an apology from the RJD.
In another episode during his Pragati Yatra in Begusarai, Nitish remarked on women’s attire, saying, “Earlier girls didn’t wear such clothes; now look how nicely they dress.” The opposition branded the comment as sexist, though his supporters insisted he was praising women’s empowerment and social progress.
Promises and Political Context
At the Muzaffarpur rally, Nitish sought to shift focus back to development, promising one crore jobs for youth over the next five years. He urged voters to “remember the work done, not the rumours spread.”
“When our government came to power on November 24, 2005, Bihar was in disarray. People feared stepping out after dark. We improved law and order, education, electricity, and roads. Today, Bihar is on the path of progress,” Nitish told the crowd.
The rally, held in support of JDU’s Ajay Kushwaha and BJP’s Rama Nishad, was aimed at consolidating NDA’s hold on the Muzaffarpur-Aurai region, where the alliance swept all six seats in 2020.
Political Equation in Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur district, in northern Bihar, remains a key NDA stronghold. In 2020, JDU’s Ajay Kushwaha won Meenapur with 52% of the vote. The region’s electorate consists largely of EBCs (40%), Yadavs (20%), and Muslims (15%), making it a strategically important constituency for both alliances.
