The political heat in Bihar intensified ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections 2025 as Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD) chief Tej Pratap Yadav launched a sharp jibe at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, ridiculing his recent pond-fishing episode in Begusarai.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Tej Pratap mocked Rahul Gandhi’s campaign style, saying the Congress leader seemed more interested in performing stunts than addressing real issues. “Rahul Gandhi’s job is to ride motorcycles and spread pollution. Now he’s busy catching fish instead of catching votes. Maybe he should have become a cook (‘rasoiya’) rather than a politician,” he said with a laugh.

The remarks came after a video of Rahul Gandhi jumping into a pond and participating in a traditional fish-catching ritual with locals went viral on social media. The Congress MP, who is currently campaigning across Bihar, joined fishermen in Begusarai as part of his outreach to rural voters.

Tej Pratap, who is contesting from the Mahua Assembly constituency, filed his nomination on October 16. His party, the Janshakti Janata Dal (JJD), had earlier announced its first list of 22 candidates for the upcoming polls, scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, with counting on November 14.

Rahul Gandhi’s unconventional campaign move has sparked a series of reactions from political opponents. Earlier, BJP MP Ravi Kishan also took a swipe at the Congress leader, saying, “He’ll get fewer votes than the number of fish he caught. At least his swimming looked good. We are busy catching votes, and he’s busy catching fish.”