Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday, 25 September sharply rebuked Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for questioning why Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not lost elections, dismissing it as a “crazy question” and challenging the Congress to introspect on its own electoral record instead of blaming the Prime Minister.

Joshi's Direct Counter to Rahul Gandhi

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Joshi responded pointedly to Gandhi's remarks. “Why didn’t PM Modi lose? Rahul Gandhi asks. What kind of crazy question is this? Why are you putting your defeat on PM Modi?” he said. Joshi pressed Gandhi to account for the Congress’s own performance, asking why the party did not lose in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand, and Jammu and Kashmir — states where it had secured recent electoral victories. He also alleged that Gandhi leaves the country during election campaigns, questioning his commitment to the party’s ground-level work.

Drought Handling Dispute with Karnataka Government

Joshi levelled serious charges against the Karnataka state government over its handling of the ongoing drought crisis, accusing it of lacking seriousness and deflecting blame onto the Centre. He argued that the state must first disburse funds from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) before seeking assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) — a precedent he said was established by former Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai. “Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar should look at the old records,” Joshi said. He further alleged that drought-hit taluks were being identified along political lines, with constituencies of legislators who had threatened to resign allegedly included in the drought list.

Allegations of Financial Mismanagement and Corruption

The Union Minister accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of financial mismanagement, claiming the state’s own Finance Department had flagged insufficient funds for welfare schemes. He alleged that important government posts were effectively being “auctioned,” citing a case in which a tahsildar reportedly demanded ₹50 lakh to correct land records. Joshi also claimed that SDRF funds meant for farmers had been exhausted and that the state was pointing fingers at the Centre to conceal its fiscal difficulties.

Centre’s Position on NDRF, Farm Loans, and Kasturirangan

Joshi clarified that the Centre remained committed to Karnataka’s interests and would consider NDRF assistance after a central team completed its on-ground assessment of the drought situation. On farm loan waiver demands, he said the Centre would take “appropriate steps” in the interest of the state’s people, without offering specifics. On the contentious Kasturirangan report, Joshi accused the state government of attempting to shift responsibility to the Centre, adding that the Union government would make its decision only after reviewing environmental studies and expert recommendations.

Political Context

The exchange underscores a sharpening confrontation between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) as both parties spar over electoral narratives and governance accountability heading into a busy political season. Joshi’s remarks signal the BJP’s intent to hold the Congress-governed Karnataka administration to account on multiple fronts — from disaster response to alleged financial irregularities — while simultaneously deflecting criticism of the Prime Minister’s electoral dominance. How the Congress responds to these charges, and whether the drought assessment by the central team leads to NDRF release, will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.