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As Bihar gears up for the crucial assembly elections in early November, political rivalries are intensifying, with leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties seeking to consolidate voter support through narratives that appeal to cultural, religious, and social sentiments. In this charged atmosphere, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has once again found himself at the center of controversy, this time over his personal celebrations of the Halloween festival with his grandchildren. Videos of Yadav participating in the festivities were shared on social media on Saturday by his daughter and RJD leader Rohini Acharya, sparking a fresh round of criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In the visuals, Lalu Yadav can be seen taking photographs with his grandchildren, who were dressed in typical Halloween attire, including masks and costumes. Rohini Acharya posted the images on the social media platform X, captioning the post, “Happy Halloween to everyone.” The post, meant to be a lighthearted family celebration, quickly became a talking point in political circles, with the BJP seizing the opportunity to question the RJD chief’s stance on religious and cultural matters.

The BJP, through its Kisan Morcha wing, issued a pointed statement reminding the public of Yadav’s earlier remarks about the Maha Kumbh festival. The post on X stated, “Don’t forget, people of Bihar, this is the same Lalu Yadav who had called the grand festival of faith and spirituality, Maha Kumbh, useless and is now celebrating the festival of Halloween. Those who attack faith will not get votes from the people of Bihar.” This criticism is part of a broader strategy by the BJP to portray Yadav and his party as dismissive of Hindu religious sentiments while highlighting their engagement with what the party terms “foreign” festivals.

The controversy stems from remarks made by Lalu Yadav earlier this year, in February, when he commented on the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. At that time, when asked about the massive crowds attending the religious gathering, Yadav reportedly described the Kumbh as “meaningless” and “just meaningless,” sparking widespread outrage among certain sections of the public and political opponents. His comments triggered a backlash, with BJP leaders claiming that the RJD was insensitive to the cultural and religious values of Hindus. Bihar BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma had said, “He is making such comments due to his politics of appeasement. The RJD leaders have always insulted the religious sentiments of Hindus. The latest statement of Lalu Prasad calling the Maha Kumbh meaningless exposes the party’s mindset towards the Hindu religion.”

The Halloween celebration now adds a new dimension to this narrative. For the BJP, Lalu Yadav’s participation in a Western festival with his grandchildren, juxtaposed against his earlier dismissal of a major Hindu religious gathering, has become a point of attack ahead of the Bihar assembly elections. Political analysts suggest that such controversies, while seemingly minor, are strategically leveraged in election campaigns to sway voter perception, particularly among religiously sensitive constituencies. The BJP’s messaging appears aimed at questioning the RJD’s respect for traditional and religious practices, thereby reinforcing its own image as a defender of faith and cultural heritage.

Lalu Yadav’s personal celebration of Halloween is also emblematic of the generational and cultural dynamics at play. While the event was clearly a family-oriented occasion, the optics in a politically charged environment are being interpreted through a partisan lens. The use of social media to share the visuals amplified the scrutiny, as digital platforms allow rapid dissemination and engagement, often magnifying minor incidents into significant political talking points. Rohini Acharya’s post, which was intended as a festive greeting, inadvertently became a flashpoint for political debate, illustrating how personal and public lives of senior political figures can intersect in high-stakes electoral contexts.

The timing of the controversy is also significant. Bihar is on the cusp of its assembly elections, with the first phase of voting scheduled for November 6 and the second phase on November 11. Counting of votes is set for November 14. In this sensitive pre-election period, every statement, social media post, or visual involving political leaders is likely to be scrutinized and interpreted in the context of broader electoral strategies. The BJP’s attack on Yadav is consistent with a pattern of leveraging cultural and religious issues to galvanize support among certain voter demographics, particularly in regions where religion and caste continue to play an influential role in voting behavior.

At the same time, the controversy underscores the RJD’s challenge in balancing traditional political messaging with contemporary social and familial practices. Lalu Yadav, who has been a dominant figure in Bihar politics for decades, faces the dual task of maintaining his political base while navigating an increasingly media-driven and digitally connected public sphere. Celebrations such as Halloween, which may be viewed as harmless personal or family events, can quickly acquire political significance, especially when historical statements or positions are cited to question the consistency or sincerity of a leader’s cultural values.

This incident also highlights the broader interplay of politics and culture in Bihar, where festivals, religious gatherings, and community celebrations are often imbued with political symbolism. The Maha Kumbh, for example, is not only a religious congregation but also a marker of social influence and mass mobilization, and statements about it are interpreted as reflective of a leader’s stance on faith and tradition. By contrast, participation in a festival like Halloween, while culturally benign in a family context, can be portrayed as an endorsement of “foreign” practices, providing opponents with a convenient narrative to challenge the leader’s alignment with local cultural norms.

As the election campaigns intensify, such controversies are likely to continue surfacing, with political parties using both historical statements and contemporary actions of leaders to influence voter perceptions. For the BJP, the current narrative around Lalu Yadav serves multiple purposes: it reinforces its portrayal of the RJD as disconnected from religious sentiments, it energizes its core voter base, and it creates a contrast between the BJP’s emphasis on cultural tradition and the RJD’s perceived liberal or cosmopolitan tendencies. For the RJD, managing the optics of such events while defending its leadership’s image is a delicate task, requiring careful messaging to avoid alienating key constituencies.

In conclusion, the latest controversy surrounding Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Halloween celebrations with his grandchildren has reignited political debates in Bihar, particularly in the context of the party’s earlier remarks about the Maha Kumbh festival. The BJP has seized upon the event to question Yadav’s stance on religious faith, portraying it as inconsistent with his previous comments and using it as an electoral strategy to mobilize voters ahead of the assembly polls. Meanwhile, the RJD faces the challenge of contextualizing the personal celebration while maintaining its political narrative, demonstrating how, in Bihar’s highly charged electoral environment, personal actions of political leaders can quickly become politically significant. As the state prepares to vote in the coming days, such incidents will likely continue to shape the discourse, influencing both public perception and electoral dynamics.