BJP slams Sonia Gandhi's memoir for silence on Bofors scandal
Synopsis
Sonia Gandhi's memoir has handed the BJP a fresh opening: spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari zeroed in on the book's silence on the Bofors scandal, arguing that Congress's refusal to confront its corruption legacy — combined with what he called anti-Sanatan remarks from party leaders — has already cost it three consecutive general elections and will cost it a fourth in 2029.
Key Takeaways
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari attacked Sonia Gandhi's memoir on 10 November 2026 for not addressing the Bofors scandal .
Bhandari said the book exposes the Gandhi-Vadra family's vote-bank politics without offering accountability for past corruption.
The BJP linked Congress's perceived anti-Sanatan stance — including remarks by Congress MP Imran Masood and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge — to its consecutive losses in 2014 , 2019 , and 2024 .
The party predicted a further electoral rout for Congress in 2029 Lok Sabha elections and the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections .
The Bofors scandal first surfaced in the late 1980s and has remained a major political flashpoint for Congress for decades.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 10 November 2026 mounted a sharp attack on former Congress President Sonia Gandhi over her recently published memoir, accusing it of perpetuating vote-bank politics while conspicuously omitting any reference to the Bofors scandal — the defence procurement controversy that dogged the Congress for decades after first surfacing in the late 1980s.
BJP's core charge: Silence on Bofors
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said the memoir fails to address what he described as 'blatant corruption' in the Bofors case. 'Gandhi-Vadra family's habit of vote-bank politics has been exposed in Sonia Gandhi's book; it doesn't answer on the blatant corruption in the Bofors case,' Bhandari told reporters in New Delhi.
He further argued that Congress never distanced itself from these issues and that this entrenched approach directly contributed to the party's successive defeats in the 2014, 2019, and 2024 general elections. 'Instead of apologising for corruption or addressing the issue of vote-bank politics, she has chosen to perpetuate the same mindset in her book,' he added.
BJP predicts fresh electoral setback in 2029
Bhandari warned that Congress risks repeating its electoral losses if the party does not course-correct. 'This will result in electoral setback to the party in 2029 general elections as well,' he said. The BJP spokesperson drew a direct line between what he characterised as the Congress's 'anti-Sanatan mindset' and its diminishing electoral appeal, particularly ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Controversy over Diwali remarks
Bhandari also reacted sharply to remarks attributed to Congress MP Imran Masood regarding Diwali, alleging that the lawmaker compared the festival to a 'disease'. He linked these comments to a broader pattern, citing a statement by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that reportedly equated Diwali with 'Khushiyon ki Eid'. Bhandari called both remarks symptomatic of what the BJP describes as Congress's vote-bank-driven politics.
He further alleged that the party supports the practice of offering namaz on public streets, contrasting this with what he said was Congress's disparaging treatment of Hindu festivals. The BJP framed these statements as evidence of the party labelling the Hindu community as 'violent' in past rhetoric.
Background: Bofors and Congress's long shadow
The Bofors scandal, which came to light in the late 1980s, involved allegations of kickbacks in a defence deal for howitzers purchased by India from a Swedish arms manufacturer. The controversy severely damaged the Congress government of the time and has remained a potent political flashpoint in Indian public discourse. Critics have long argued that the Gandhi family's reluctance to publicly account for the episode has weakened Congress's credibility on anti-corruption messaging.
What comes next
The memoir's release is likely to sustain political debate across party lines in the weeks ahead, particularly as both sides calibrate messaging ahead of Uttar Pradesh polls. Congress has not issued an immediate response to Bhandari's specific charges regarding Bofors. The BJP's calculated use of the memoir's perceived omissions signals an effort to keep historical accountability narratives alive as campaign season approaches.
Point of View
By not directly addressing the scandal in a 400-page personal account, has revived a 40-year-old wound on its own terms. The party's handling of the Diwali remarks controversy is a separate but compounding problem — it feeds a 'vote-bank at the expense of the majority' narrative that the BJP has refined into an electoral weapon. Whether this translates to votes depends on whether opposition consolidation or Hindu sentiment mobilisation proves dominant in the swing states that will decide 2029.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the BJP say about Sonia Gandhi's memoir?
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said on 10 November 2026 that Sonia Gandhi's memoir exposes the Gandhi-Vadra family's vote-bank politics but conspicuously avoids any mention of the Bofors scandal or accountability for corruption. He called it a continuation of the same mindset that led to Congress's defeats in 2014, 2019, and 2024.
What is the Bofors scandal and why does it matter politically?
The Bofors scandal involves allegations of kickbacks paid in a late-1980s defence deal for howitzers purchased by India from a Swedish arms manufacturer. It severely damaged the Congress government of the time and has remained a persistent political liability for the party, with critics arguing that the Gandhi family has never publicly accounted for it.
What did Congress leaders say about Diwali that the BJP attacked?
BJP spokesperson Bhandari cited a statement by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that reportedly equated Diwali with 'Khushiyon ki Eid', and remarks attributed to Congress MP Imran Masood that allegedly compared the festival to a 'disease'. The BJP called both statements evidence of an anti-Sanatan mindset within Congress.
What elections is the BJP warning Congress about?
Bhandari warned that Congress's approach will lead to an electoral setback in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections and in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, extending the party's string of consecutive general election losses since 2014.
Has Congress responded to the BJP's charges over the memoir?
According to available reports, Congress had not issued an immediate public response to Bhandari's specific allegations regarding the Bofors scandal's absence from Sonia Gandhi's memoir at the time of this report.
