Leaders from Bihar’s ruling alliance lashed out at the Congress party after its Kerala unit sparked controversy with a social media post that made a mocking reference to the state in the context of the recent GST reforms.

The now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter) said, “Bidis and Bihar start with B” and “cannot be considered a sin anymore,” referring to the GST rate cut on bidis. The remark drew sharp criticism from leaders across the political spectrum in Bihar, who called it insulting and offensive.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary called it "an insult to the entire state."

“First, they insulted the respected mother of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and now the entire state of Bihar. This is the real face of the Congress, which keeps getting exposed before the nation,” Choudhary posted on X.

Sanjay Kumar Jha, a senior JDU leader and close aide of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, also condemned the post, calling it “another extremely shameful act” by the Congress.

“Let me remind them—B doesn’t just stand for bidi, it stands for ‘buddhi’ (intellect), something the Congress seems to lack. It also stands for ‘budget’, which they resent when Bihar receives special assistance,” Jha wrote on X in Hindi.

“By mocking Bihar, the Congress has not only insulted the people of the state but also disrespected India’s rich democratic and historical legacy,” he added, warning that the people of Bihar would respond appropriately in the next elections.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also reacted strongly, saying:

“Congress crosses the line again. After insulting the PM’s mother, now they compare Bihar with a bidi! Does Tejashwi Yadav endorse this? Whether it’s Revanth Reddy, DMK, or Congress—their contempt for Bihar is clear.”

BJP leader Ajay Alok didn’t hold back either.

“Congress stands for ‘B for Budbak’ (fool) and ‘B for Baalbuddhi’ (childish). They’ve been out of power in Bihar since 1989 for a reason. Today they’ve called the entire state ‘bidi’—well, that ‘bidi’ will burn them down,” he said.

The backlash came shortly after the GST Council, in its 56th meeting, announced a revised tax structure. Under the new rates, the GST on bidis was reduced from 28% to 18%, and the tax on tendu leaves (used for bidi wrappers) was slashed from 18% to 5%.

The Council also approved a major simplification of the tax system by moving from four tax slabs (5%, 12%, 18%, and 28%) to a more streamlined two-tier structure of 5% and 18%, with a special 40% GST rate reserved for select items like cigarettes and tobacco products.