Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 8: The Congress on Saturday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for predicting a sweeping victory for the NDA in the Bihar Assembly elections, calling his forecast an “illusion” and branding him a “fake Chanakya.”

Responding to Shah’s statement that the NDA would secure over 160 seats, Congress leader Pawan Khera said the people of Bihar were clearly backing the Opposition alliance.

“We are confident of a clear mandate on 72 seats,” Khera asserted. “Those talking about crossing 400 should continue with their slogans—it won’t change reality. The Home Minister’s plan will fail; he’s no Chanakya.”

Echoing the criticism, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari mocked the BJP’s confidence, citing the party’s reduced tally in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. “You claimed 400 seats in Parliament and ended up with 238. So what happened to your own prediction, Home Minister?” Tiwari asked.

Earlier this week, Shah had confidently stated that the NDA would return to power under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying the alliance would win “more than 160 seats.” Addressing a rally in Purnea on Saturday, he reiterated the NDA’s development and security agenda, promising to eliminate “infiltrators” from Bihar within five years and to provide alternative livelihoods for those involved in illegal trades.

The Congress dismissed these assurances as mere “election rhetoric,” arguing that Bihar’s voters are more concerned about unemployment, inflation, and rural development than lofty promises. With the second phase of voting set for November 11, the verbal sparring between the BJP and Congress has sharply escalated, setting the stage for a heated political showdown in Bihar.