Kharge escalates ‘vote chori’ charge in Patna, demands CEC’s ouster, attacks Nitish over RSS ties

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has harshly condemned the Congress following remarks made by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge during an event in Bihar. The BJP accused Kharge of violating decorum and likened his language to that of a "mafia gang". Home Minister Amit Shah criticized Kharge's remark, stating it crossed the line of decency and accused the Congress of repeatedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his family.

Kharge's statement came during an event marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar's first chief minister, Shri Krishna Singh. While addressing the audience, Kharge criticized Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology followed by the BJP. He also referred to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as the "second war of Independence". When a voice in the audience claimed that Modi would not go anywhere, Kharge responded with "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" (Even Modi's father will go).

The BJP linked Kharge's remark to the Congress's historical electoral defeats, alleging the party had no policies or issues to raise and resorted to slander. The BJP also accused Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, of wandering aimlessly abroad to boost his chances of returning to power. The latest political spat emerged amid a dispute between the BJP and Congress regarding the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with the Congress alleging the exercise was being used to target minorities and marginalised communities, while the BJP accused the opposition of discrediting constitutional institutions to divert attention from its electoral setbacks.