Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 10 May launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress at a large public rally near HAL Airport in Bengaluru, accusing the party of blaming "the entire world" for its electoral defeats and alleging that Congress had backstabbed its long-standing ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), in Tamil Nadu. Modi's remarks came against the backdrop of recent state-level political developments and the May 4 election results.

Congress Blamed for Electoral Decline

Modi pointed to Congress's sharp fall from dominance, noting that a party which once held more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha roughly 40 years ago had failed to cross the 100-seat mark in the last three general elections. "But the arrogance of the Congress and its supporters is such that they blame the entire world for their defeats," he said, addressing the large gathering.

"They blame the Constitution, democracy, constitutional institutions, and the courts. In my political career, I have never seen any mainstream political party behave like this. They are so deeply sunk in defeat that they are left with no option but to use foul language," Modi added.

BJP's Governance Record vs Congress Failures

The Prime Minister contrasted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s governance record with what he described as Congress's culture of betrayal and misgovernance. "For BJP governments, the welfare of the people is everything. Twenty-five crore people have come out of poverty. Our motto is welfare for all, and our model is one of good governance. That is why people are allowing the BJP to serve them for a second and third term," he stressed.

Modi alleged that Congress-ruled state governments consistently fail to return to power for a second term, with anti-incumbency setting in within a year. He specifically cited Karnataka, where he claimed much of the government's time over the past three years had been spent on internal infighting rather than resolving public issues. He also raised concerns about Kerala, where he said Congress had yet to form a government despite securing a majority after the May 4 results, and Himachal Pradesh, where he alleged salary payments to government employees were being delayed.

Allegations of Betrayal Across States

Modi alleged a pattern of Congress betraying its own leaders across multiple states. "They make promises to their own leaders and then backstab them. They did it in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. In Karnataka, the same game is going on, and in Kerala, too, they are doing the same thing," he said. He also alleged that in Telangana, farmers were being driven to suicide and that wherever Congress governs, "either the treasury is looted for appeasement politics, or there is infighting over the looted money."

The Congress-DMK Relationship and Alleged Backstab

Modi reserved some of his sharpest remarks for what he described as Congress's betrayal of the DMK after a 30-year alliance. "In Tamil Nadu, the Congress had a strong relationship with the DMK for 30 years. The alliance with the DMK helped the Congress remain in power. The Congress-led government at the Centre survived with the support of the DMK," he said.

"But what happened? Despite the long-standing relationship and despite the DMK always acting in the interest of the Congress party, the moment the balance of power shifted, the Congress used the first opportunity to stab the DMK in the back," Modi stated. The remarks are likely to resonate in Tamil Nadu, where the Congress-DMK alliance remains a key political arrangement ahead of future electoral contests.

What Comes Next

Modi's Bengaluru address signals the BJP's intent to keep pressure on Congress-governed states as it prepares for upcoming electoral battles. With Karnataka's political stability already under public scrutiny and Congress navigating leadership questions in multiple states, the BJP appears to be sharpening a governance-versus-betrayal narrative heading into the next political cycle.