A sharp political controversy erupted on Sunday after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge used the phrase “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” during an event in Patna. The remark, made in response to a heckler, drew immediate condemnation from BJP leaders who accused the opposition of crossing the limits of political decency by dragging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father into the exchange.
The incident occurred at a programme marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Shri Krishna Singh. While addressing the gathering, Kharge spoke about alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and said the Congress would send those responsible to jail. When a person in the audience interrupted with words to the effect that “Modi will not go,” Kharge retorted, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega,” repeating the line. Party workers later escorted the individual out of the venue.
The man later claimed his full statement — that Modi would not leave unless there was a revolt — had been cut short and misunderstood. Kharge continued his speech by calling the Prime Minister a “habitual liar,” questioning the status of the promised return of black money, and criticising the ideology of the RSS.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders swiftly hit back. Shah described the language as crossing all limits and pointed to a pattern of personal remarks against Modi and his family over the years. NDA leaders in Bihar also sought an apology, terming the comment unfortunate and reflective of political frustration.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi joined the criticism on X, accusing Kharge and the Congress of intellectual bankruptcy. In a strongly worded post, Majhi said the opposition had defaulted to personal abuse because it lacked a developmental vision or governance record to present to the public. He argued that targeting a leader’s lineage exposed desperation rather than elevating political stature.
Congratulations, Shri Mallikarjun @kharge Ji, by stating “Modi ka baap’…..” and dragging the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s late father into an election rally, you have certified your party’s absolute intellectual bankruptcy.
What an inspiring masterclass in opposition leadership. when you have no developmental vision to present, no governance track record to defend, and zero ground beneath your feet, simply default to personal abuse. It must be exhausting to spend decades trying to counter @narendramodi Ji on infrastructure, economics, or public trust, only to realize your sharpest remaining political weapon belongs in the gutter.
For a 138-year-old party that incessantly lectures the nation on constitutional morality and democratic decency, the mask slips with remarkable predictability the moment an election looms. Targeting a leader’s lineage doesn’t elevate your stature, Kharge Ji! it only exposes unvarnished desperation. If street-level slurs actually translated into mandates, Congress wouldn’t be busy celebrating moral victories while consistently surrendering actual states.
When an opposition has nothing left to offer 21st-century India, personal vitriol evidently becomes its only manifesto. The people will remember the absolute moral collapse of a once-national party.— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) October 25, 2026
The episode has sharpened the already heated atmosphere ahead of upcoming political campaigns. While the BJP has framed the remark as a moral and political low, Congress has not issued a formal clarification as of Sunday evening.
The exchange highlights the continuing reliance on personal rhetoric in India’s polarised political discourse, even as both sides trade accusations over electoral processes and governance.
