The Bharatiya Janata Party has filed a formal complaint with the Chief Election Officer of Bihar, urging the Election Commission of India to take stringent action against Rahul Gandhi following his remarks at a rally in Muzaffarpur during the campaign for the upcoming state polls. The complaint centres on Gandhi’s comment that Narendra Modi “can do anything for votes” and would “dance” if asked, which the BJP labels as derogatory, indecent and in violation of electoral norms.
Gandhi’s remarks came during a public meeting ahead of the state election, where he accused the prime minister of orchestrating governance purely for electoral gain. “If you say to him, ‘We will vote for you if you dance’, he will dance,” Gandhi asserted. In its submission, the BJP argued that these statements cannot be linked to policy discourse or public performance, but amount to personal vilification of the office of the prime minister, thus breaching the ECI’s Model Code of Conduct and Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act.
The BJP has requested that Gandhi be issued a show-cause notice, be directed to issue an unconditional public apology, and be barred from campaigning for a defined period to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. Responding to the complaint, the Congress accused the BJP of being “issueless” and lacking vision for the state election. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera pointed out that the prime minister himself had previously used terms such as “mujra” in political speeches and asserted it was ironic for the BJP to object to the word “dance.”
Political analysts view the incident as part of a broader escalation in campaign rhetoric ahead of the upcoming polls in Bihar, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance faces the opposition INDIA bloc. The row unfolds against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny over electoral conduct and the ECI’s handling of campaign atmospheres. One commentator noted that references to symbolic actions such as “dance” serve as metaphors for political compliance and spectacle in electoral contests. At the same time, the legal grounding of the complaint suggests the BJP is seeking to shift focus from governance issues to individual accountability in campaign discourse.
Legal experts caution that while the ECI has the authority to issue notices under the Model Code of Conduct, enforcement historically has been inconsistent. One lawyer observing the case said the commission must determine whether the remarks constitute a “corrupt practice” or fall within the grey zone of campaign speech. The BJP’s invocation of Section 123, which covers “appeal by a candidate to vote on the basis of religion, race, caste, community or language”, raises questions about its applicability in a case centred on personal critique rather than explicit communal appeal.
The Congress reunion behind Gandhi emphasised that the allegory of dancing was meant to highlight what it described as the prime minister’s electoral theatrics rather than a literal dance demand. The party argued that democratic debate necessarily involves pointed satire and that the BJP’s filing reflected a desperation to change the agenda. Meanwhile, the BJP insisted the complaint signalled its intention to elevate campaign discourse and reaffirm norms of decency.
For India’s Disabled Litigants, Justice Is An Insurmountable Challenge 