Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on 26 October 2026 launched a sharp counter-offensive against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge after his remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father drew widespread condemnation. The controversy, which first erupted in Patna, Bihar, has since spread into a full-scale political flashpoint between the two national parties.

What Kharge Said and When

The remark in question was made on 25 October at an event in Patna commemorating the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar's first Chief Minister, Sri Krishna Singh. While addressing the gathering — at which Kharge was also criticising the central government over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and alleged administrative irregularities — an audience member reportedly called out that Prime Minister Modi would not leave office without a rebellion. Kharge reportedly responded: 'Even Modi's father will have to go!' The comment was widely perceived as a personal jab at the Prime Minister's deceased father, triggering immediate outrage from the BJP.

CM Sharma's Broadside

In a post on social media shared late Sunday evening, Chief Minister Sharma accused the Congress of abandoning policy-based discourse after a series of electoral reverses. He said: 'The use of indecent language by Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge, who appears rattled by repeated electoral defeats directed at the late father of the respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is a testament to the declining political standards and lack of decency within the Congress. Whether it is targeting a father or a mother — has Congress politics now been reduced solely to personal insults?'

Sharma further warned: 'Resorting to abusive language instead of introspecting on their own failures reveals the desperation of the Congress. The Congress should remember: this is a 'New India,' where the public responds to insults and arrogance through their electoral mandate. Petty politics does not lead to power; it only earns the public's resentment.'

BJP Rajasthan President Joins the Attack

BJP Rajasthan president Madan Rathore also condemned the remark, questioning whether such language directed at the country's Prime Minister was consistent with democratic norms. Rathore additionally raised concerns about an alleged assault on an individual at the same Patna event, calling it a broader reflection of the Congress's political conduct. He argued that expressions once associated with crude political exchanges were now emanating from the party's national leadership, and asked whether civility and respect for democratic values still had any place within the Congress.

Wider BJP Reaction and Protest Plans

Other BJP leaders and elected representatives across Rajasthan intensified their criticism, calling for a public apology from the Congress leadership and arguing that personal remarks targeting the families of senior constitutional officeholders undermine democratic traditions. The BJP announced plans for protests against the statement, with party workers citing rising anger among cadres in Jaipur and other district headquarters. Notably, the row comes ahead of upcoming panchayat and local body elections in Rajasthan, where party workers said the BJP could look to leverage the controversy in its campaign.

Political Context

This is not the first time remarks about Prime Minister Modi's family have ignited a political storm. The BJP has consistently treated such comments as electoral fuel, amplifying them through state-level leaders before national elections and local polls. Critics from the Congress's side, however, argue that the BJP routinely weaponises personal controversies to deflect attention from governance questions. The SIR process — the backdrop against which Kharge was speaking — remains a live political dispute, though that debate has now been largely overshadowed by the remark itself. How both parties manage the fallout could shape the tone of political discourse ahead of the local body polls in the state.