India

BJP MP Siroya Criticizes Congress Leader Kharge Over ‘Abusive’ Comment on Modi

By Neeta Sharma

In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express, Karnataka BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya strongly rebuked Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark that “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” made at a Patna event last week. Siroya said the comment was intended to suggest that the Prime Minister would have to resign amid protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of state and union territory voter rolls. The BJP immediately condemned the remark, announced national protests, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Kharge of breaching “all norms of decorum.” A Bihar BJP worker filed a police case against Kharge.

Siroya argued that Kharge’s image as a mature and responsible leader in Karnataka had been tarnished by the comment. He claimed that voters who had previously trusted Kharge were now questioning him and that Kharge had “completely lost control of his language” after becoming a national leader. Siroya said such abusive language is unheard of in Karnataka culture and in national political culture, blaming constant humiliation by the Gandhi family and their close associates for the loss of restraint.

He also suggested that a “who can insult Modi the most” competition exists within the Congress, involving Kharge’s son and Karnataka Home Affairs Minister Priyank Kharge, and that the Congress still views abuse as a political strategy.

Regarding the “vote chori” allegations and the planned protest against Gyanesh Kumar on November 1, Siroya called the charges “funny and childish.” He pointed to the BJP’s seat drop from 282 in 2014 to 240 in 2024, arguing that if the party were an expert at stealing votes, its numbers should have increased. He blamed the Congress for “stealing” votes and resources from allies such as the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu.

On delimitation, Siroya said he was unaware of a special parliamentary session on the bill but stressed its national importance. He noted that Congress leaders had privately inquired about the timeline, citing the need for periodic delimitation in a healthy democracy.

Concerning reports that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was in contact with NDA allies TDP and JD(U), Siroya expressed strong skepticism. He said he knew leaders from both parties and that they fully supported the Modi government. He recalled how the Congress and the INDIA alliance had previously humiliated Nitish Kumar, briefly projecting him as a chief coordinator before abandoning him. Siroya warned Shivakumar to focus on governing Karnataka rather than national manoeuvring, comparing the approach to Narendra Modi’s time as Gujarat Chief Minister.

When asked about Sonia Gandhi’s upcoming autobiography, Siroya said he had no insider details but believed she could not have written it herself. He noted that ghost‑writing is common among politicians and that large sums are spent on anonymous writers. He expected the book to become a “laughing stock” if it merely glorified her without substance.

Siroya concluded that the NDA would strengthen while the INDIA alliance would weaken further due to internal contradictions and the Congress leadership’s approach.