‘Bihar, Bidis Start With B’: Kerala Congress’s GST Post Backfires, Draws BJP Backlash

Last Updated:September 05, 2025, 11:10 is

The BJP on Friday hit out at the Kerala Congress for likening Bihar to bidis in a post on GST rates, calling it an insult to the state. The post by the Congress was later deleted.

BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla addresses a press conference in New Delhi (Photo: PTI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday slammed the Kerala unit of the Congress party after it drew parallels between the state of Bihar and bidis, and criticised the proposed GST rate changes on the same.

“Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore,” the Kerala Congress’s post on X read, as it also shared a chart showing the current and the proposed GST rates on tobacco products.

However, the party deleted the post as it triggered a political row.

In an X post, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla asked if Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav endorses the comparison of bidis with the state of Bihar.

Poonawalla also alleged that the INDIA bloc’s “hatred for Bihar” was evident.

“Congress crosses the line again,” Poonawalla wrote on X.

“After abusing PM Narendra Modi ji’s mother, now compares Bihar with Bidi ! Does Tejaswi Yadav endorse this?” he asked.

“From Revanth Reddy to DMK To Congress- their hatred for Bihar is evident,” he added.

Echoing Poonawalla, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Samrat Choudhary, also called the Kerala Congress’s post an insult to the state of Bihar.

“First, the insult to the revered mother of our honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji, and now the insult to the entire Bihar—this is the true character of the Congress, which is repeatedly being exposed before the country,” the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister wrote on X.

On Thursday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took a swipe at the Congress party and asked if it was demanding a 5 per cent tax on tobacco and gutkha.

During her GST announcement, the Finance Minister proposed a special 40 per cent slab for a select few items such as high-end cars, tobacco and cigarettes.

The new rates for all products, except gutkha, tobacco and tobacco products and cigarettes, will be effective September 22, the first day of Navratri, she said.

ALSO READ | GST Overhaul: What Are ‘Sin’ Goods? Here Are All The Items In The ‘40% Club’

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Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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