Congress’ VT Balram resigns as social media chief amid backlash over ‘Bidi-Bihar’ post
Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.VT Balram, head of the social media and digital wing of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has resigned following outrage over a politically sensitive and widely criticised social media post linking Bihar with bidis. The now-deleted post, shared on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of Congress’ Kerala unit, stated, “Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore.” It was a reference to recent changes in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure, which lowered the tax on bidis from 28% to 18%, while raising duties on cigarettes. The post, however, drew significant backlash for its perceived derogatory tone toward Bihar and its people, also triggering strong condemnation across party lines. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), slammed the post as an “insult to the entire Bihar.” Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai alleged that the Congress took “pleasure in insulting Biharis,” and warned that voters would ensure the party paid a price for undermining their “self-respect.” Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, a senior figure in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, also lashed out. “B does not only stand for bidi — it stands for buddhi (intellect), which you lack. It stands for budget, which irks you whenever Bihar receives special assistance. With this post, Congress has demeaned not just Bihar but also mocked its glorious history and democracy,” he said. The BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused Congress of “crossing all limits,” questioning whether Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav approved of the remark, and describing it as further evidence of the party’s “hatred for Bihar.” The RJD, which contests elections in Bihar in alliance with Congress under the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), also quickly distanced itself. Tejashwi Yadav clarified that his party does not endorse such language, cautioning that remarks of this nature could jeopardise the unity of the INDIA opposition bloc. The Congress, in its formal clarification, said the post was “misinterpreted and twisted,” adding it did not represent the party’s stance. Amid the uproar, VT Balram submitted his resignation on Saturday, September 6. While acknowledging that the controversy had escalated rapidly, he maintained that his exit had been planned earlier and was unrelated to the incident. Balram said he had already informed KPCC president Sunny Joseph about stepping down, citing his inability to thoroughly review social media content due to time constraints. KPCC chief Sunny Joseph admitted the post reflected a lapse in judgment, but insisted that the wording was not aligned with Congress’s official position. He also said the party has initiated a restructuring of its social media operations to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Follow TNM’s WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
VT BALRAM, head of the social media and digital wing of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has resigned following outrage over a politically sensitive and widely criticised social media post linking Bihar with bidis.
The now-deleted post, shared on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of Congress’s Kerala unit, stated, “Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore.”
It was a reference to recent changes in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure, which lowered the tax on bidis from 28% to 18%, while raising duties on cigarettes.
The post, however, drew significant backlash for its perceived derogatory tone toward Bihar and its people, also triggering strong condemnation across party lines.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), slammed the post as an “insult to the entire Bihar.”
Union Minister of State Nityanand Rai alleged that the Congress took “pleasure in insulting Biharis,” and warned that voters would ensure the party paid a price for undermining their “self-respect.”
Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, a senior figure in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, also lashed out. “B does not only stand for bidi — it stands for buddhi (intellect), which you lack. It stands for budget, which irks you whenever Bihar receives special assistance. With this post, Congress has demeaned not just Bihar but also mocked its glorious history and democracy,” he said.
The BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused Congress of “crossing all limits,” questioning whether Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav approved of the remark, and describing it as further evidence of the party’s “hatred for Bihar.”
The RJD, which contests elections in Bihar in alliance with Congress under the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), also quickly distanced itself. Tejashwi Yadav clarified that his party does not endorse such language, cautioning that remarks of this nature could jeopardise the unity of the INDIA opposition bloc.
The Congress, in its formal clarification, said the post was “misinterpreted and twisted,” adding it did not represent the party’s stance.
Amid the uproar, VT Balram submitted his resignation on Saturday, September 6. While acknowledging that the controversy had escalated rapidly, he maintained that his exit had been planned earlier and was unrelated to the incident. Balram said he had already informed KPCC president Sunny Joseph about stepping down, citing his inability to thoroughly review social media content due to time constraints.
KPCC chief Sunny Joseph admitted the post reflected a lapse in judgment, but insisted that the wording was not aligned with Congress’s official position. He also said the party has initiated a restructuring of its social media operations to prevent similar incidents in the future.
