Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge found himself at the centre of a political storm on Sunday, 25 October 2026, after remarks he directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event in Patna, Bihar were widely condemned as abusive and unbecoming of a senior leader. The controversy triggered an immediate and coordinated backlash from senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Union Ministers and the party's own president.

What Sparked the Row

The remarks came at the 139th birth anniversary celebration of Bihar's first Chief Minister, Shri Krishna Singh. During the event, an audience member reportedly shouted 'Modi kahin nahin jayega' (Modi will not go anywhere), prompting Kharge's response, which critics have characterised as a personal and abusive 'baap' jibe targeting the Prime Minister. The BJP swiftly moved to amplify its outrage across multiple platforms.

Amit Shah: Congress Tearing Apart Decorum

Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the Congress party of dismantling the basic standards of political discourse. 'The Congress party was losing all limits of indecency every day,' Shah said, drawing a direct line between the episode and a broader pattern of attacks on Modi and his family.

Shah pointed out that the party had, in the past, allegedly insulted the Prime Minister's mother, referred to him as a 'merchant of death,' and mocked his humble origins by calling him a chaiwala. He attributed the latest outburst to electoral desperation, arguing that over a decade of defeats had corroded the Congress party's political conduct. He added that the party would receive 'a resounding response' as it always had.

Nadda and BJP Chief Weigh In

Union Health Minister and BJP president JP Nadda described the remarks against the Prime Minister and his late father as deserving 'the strongest possible condemnation.' He framed the incident as a symptom of mounting anxiety within the Congress over Modi's domestic and global standing.

'Opposition's panic — stemming from Modi ji's rising popularity at home and abroad, and the public's unwavering trust in him — is now plainly evident in its language and conduct,' Nadda said. He warned that such rhetoric amounted to an insult not just to the Prime Minister but to the 140 crore citizens who had elected him, and that the electorate would respond through democratic means.

BJP president Nitin Nabin labelled Kharge's language as 'indecent and unparliamentary,' arguing that it reflected the party's broader ideological bankruptcy. 'This is not Kharge ji's personal statement, but a revelation of the entire Congress party's lack of decorum in its thinking. When the opposition has no solid issues left to debate on the country's development, policies, and public welfare schemes, they resort to this kind of desperation and personal attacks,' Nabin stated. He, too, warned that the public was closely watching and would deliver a swift reply.

Pattern of Escalating Political Rhetoric

The episode fits a recognisable pattern of escalating exchanges between the Congress and the BJP ahead of state assembly cycles. Critics argue that personalised attacks have increasingly displaced substantive policy debate on both sides. Notably, this is not the first time Kharge has drawn criticism for remarks targeting Modi directly — previous instances have prompted similar BJP responses, though rarely at this volume or from this many senior leaders simultaneously. The coordinated nature of Sunday's pushback — involving the Home Minister, the Health Minister, and the party president within hours — underscores how politically sensitive the ruling party considers any attack on Modi's personal history.

What Happens Next

The Congress party had not issued an official response at the time of reporting. Whether Kharge retracts, clarifies, or doubles down on his remarks is likely to set the tone for the political week ahead. With Bihar's political calendar increasingly active, the fallout from the Patna event is expected to reverberate through upcoming campaign messaging on both sides.